The Garden of Roses: the 79th Games
by Reader Castellan
Summary: The Capitol's tyranny is at its peak. The worst traps for the tributes have been set up. The screams should be loud for a good show, and a good show is what they really want... SYOT CLOSED!
1. Chapter 1

**The Garden of Roses**

* * *

An anxious silence had befallen in the Luvguard Household. This anxiety had been persisting since a week. The parents couldn't bear to talk much; the children were scared. And young Lara's heart was hammering against her ribcage quite fast, faster than she would like anyway.

The next day, one boy and one girl would be picked to fight for their lives. Lara was only twelve, and so was her brother Drake. The next day would be the first Reapings of their lives and Lara was not very keen to find out what it felt to be Reaped. No, she was better off without finding much.

The same could not be said for Drake. The boy was suicidal, and that was what scared his family the most. They feared that Drake would _volunteer_ for the Games. The little boy didn't do anything to remove that doubt, in fact he encouraged it.

"It would be amazing," he often said during lunch-time.

Mrs. Luvguard had lost sleep over her son. Her husband was not in a better condition. And Lara, Lara was so scared for her twin that she dreaded the next day even more.

District Twelve rarely ever had a victor.

If Drake volunteered, he would be dead in the bloodbath.

And Drake never wanted to listen to anyone else.

"What will happen tomorrow?" Lara wondered aloud.

Her friend, Lyn, looked up from the book she was reading. Lyn was thirteen and knew how it felt during one's first Reapings. She smiled kindly at Lara.

"Nothing too bad for us," she replied, trying to sound as honest as she could.

"It will be bad for us," Lara said firmly in a tone so sad that Lyn couldn't help but feel scared too.

"Why do you say that?"

"Drake is behaving in a very… disturbing way."

"That boy is a rather enthusiastic about the whole deal," Lyn noted.

"But I am scared!" Lara cried out, "He's my twin! I have never been away from him! What if- what if-"

She couldn't bring herself to complete the sentence though for soon, she was crying miserably. Lyn embraced her warmly and patted her back in a comforting way.

"There, there," she said. Lara pulled back and looked at her with bleak eyes.

"Drake won't be Reaped, right? My twin…"

"No he won't," Lyn replied firmly and hugged her back.

But Lara was not convinced. Anything could happen the next day. Would she be able to live without her twin if it came to that?

She was not eager to find out.

* * *

 **Hello! Hello! Welcome to my third SYOT. I am not promising as rapid updates as the previous two but I do hope that you all submit.**

 **Rules:**

 **1: Please be creative and complete the full form. No recycled tributes.**

 **2: You can submit three tributes, but one must be a bloodbath if you do.**

 **3: I won't write mature things. I don't like them so I won't. Hopefully, you won't mind. Plus, I cannot write lovey-dovey things. If I do, it appears to be more comical than romantic. So…**

 **4: Enjoy!**

 **Form:**

 **Name:**

 **Age:**

 **Gender:**

 **District (list three):**

 **Personality (I like descriptions but too much of descriptions can be a little confusing):**

 **History:**

 **Family/Friends:**

 **Appearance:**

 **Face claim:**

 **Reaped/Volunteered:**

 **Reaction/Reason:**

 **Strengths (personality wise):**

 **Weaknesses (personality wise):**

 **Weapon of choice/ Special skills (You can talk about everything your tribute is good at whether it be knot-tying, setting traps, using swords or if they are just physically strong or fast):**

 **Worst Fear(s):**

 **Preferred Training Score:**

 **Interview Angle:**

 **Chariot Ride outfit:**

 **Allies:**

 **Anything else:**

 **Well, enjoy submitting and have a great day!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Reapings**

 **District One**

* * *

 **Galilee Schwartz (18) D1F**

I did not want this. I never asked for this. And _yet_ I had to do this.

Although I couldn't complain much. At least it would make mom happy. My father did not want this but since I had been chosen, I couldn't really do much about it.

The weather was quite pleasant that day. The sky was the brightest blue and beautiful white clouds hung in there. My room was on the second floor and from my window I saw my little sister Zion rush out of the house. She didn't have to train. She didn't have to volunteer. She was not interested in the Games and valued her life a lot. She wasn't burdened with the whole volunteering pressure. I was happy for her.

I had joined the training academy just for training and to ease the tension that I used to go through. Never in my life did I think of volunteering. The environment there was pleasant, the trainers friendly and so I decided to continue.

And then they told me that I had to volunteer.

I wanted to refuse. The Games would be the end of me. But my mother, my mother's joys knew no bounds on hearing the news. I always wanted to please mother and knew it was a good opportunity.

Sadly, this 'good opportunity' could easily lead me to be killed.

"Aargh!" I cried and slammed my fist into the wall. Death was too close. And there was nothing I could do to avoid that. Why was I in such a fix? On top of that my District had the wonderful reputation of producing dumb, catty female tributes. Now that I was going in, I seriously hoped I could get rid of that image.

A while later I was in the kitchen, cooking. Cooking was life. Both my parents were chefs and I had spent quite a lot of time to learn cooking. Different ingredients were thrown in together to make marvellous delicacies that could be enjoyed by just anyone. Cooking was often the stress reliever for me. Plus, I cooked depending on my mood. And right now I felt frustrated and worried, scared and yet excited. I felt the thrill and the feeling of impending doom at the same time which was odd.

"Snap out of it," I told myself.

"Snap out of what?"

I turned around to see mom walking towards me with a barely suppressed grin. I didn't know whether to be happy that she had so much faith in me, or to be sad that she was so keen on sending me on my way to death.

"Nothing mom," I replied.

What was I cooking anyway? I had not even noticed what I was doing… I saw potatoes and I had done something that-

"Looks tasty," mom said.

"It will be ready soon…"

"Let it be dear," she said, "I think you should go get ready."

"Galilee."

Looking up, I saw my dad standing in the doorway. Smiling at him, I walked towards him and gave him a hug. He grabbed my shoulders and looked into my eyes.

"Don't do it, child," he said softly, "Don't. I don't want to lose you."

"Oh come on!" mom said as she joined us too, "Our daughter can do it! Don't discourage her! Sweetheart, I believe in you. Go and win it for me, for your District. Go and show all those kids who bullied you at school."

I nodded slowly at her but caught dad's eye. He shook his head firmly. I couldn't take it anymore. I agreed with dad. The arena was not a place for me. Why couldn't I be a chef too? Why me? But I had to do it for mom, for the academy. How was I supposed to refuse? I would be shunned if I didn't do that.

"I'll get ready," I said and then walked upstairs, trying to appear calm and collected although I felt nothing of the sort.

I slammed the door shut behind me and combed my platinum blond hair carelessly. They were brown originally but I had dyed them. My huge eyes stared back at me from the mirror. In fact, the most remarkable feature about me, if I must say so, are my eyes.

"Calm down. You need to look good."

The long white dress that I pulled on only made me look better. Mom had bought it especially for this occasion. She said it would make me look like a princess. I didn't feel like a princess.

"I should get going," I muttered, wondering why I was talking to myself like this, "I need to see Adonna and Haley before the Reapings."

And when I went down, I saw my mom was also completely ready, looking much better than I did, as if it was her year to volunteer. Clenching my fists, I smiled at her, dad, Zion and then walked out of the house.

"See you later!" I said as I almost ran away. They knew I had gone to see my friends. It was expected that Adonna would volunteer but that wasn't going to happen now. I was glad that at least my friend would get to stay alive.

But still… I wished someone else had been chosen.

* * *

 **Bennett DeVallier (18) D1M**

Swinging my legs back and forth, I listened to Adrian intently. After all, listening really had been all that I could do in a conversation, although Adrian always tried to make me take part in discussions. He was easily the best brother in the world and I didn't know how I would even survive without him.

Grabbing my shoulders tightly and gazing at me with an intensity that might scare other people, he spoke, "And you must believe that you can do it. Just because you can't speak doesn't mean you can't do anything else. This is your chance."

I believed him, of course. How could I not? Adrian was my everything. The dependable brother, the trustworthy friend.

I moved my hands wildly to tell him that I did believe in what he said. As such I used very simple sign language and most people got it but Adrian didn't really need it.

"I believe in you."

Those four simple words were always enough to make me smile, to boost my confidence. Ever since my accident, everyone had either treated me with pity or with wickedness. My parents were overprotective of me. My peers bullied me. Countless times they had locked me up, beaten me, harassed me just s that I would scream. Or rather, try to scream.

When I was three, my dad and I had a car accident. Luckily we both managed to survive it. My dad lost his leg and a glass shard buried itself in my larynx. After much effort from the doctors and prayers from my family, I lived. However, my vocal cords were permanently damaged and we were not rich enough to actually afford the treatment.

Long story short, I was mute.

I hated it. I hated it with passion. My parents treated me like a fragile glass, as if I would break any time. My school mates were exceptionally mean to me. Realising I could not speak, they did not leave one single chance to use my weakness for their entertainment. I was, to be honest, tired of this treatment. I wasn't a lesser being. I was a human, just like everyone else. Sadly, nobody wanted to accept that.

Well, except Adrian. My brother treated me as his equal. He didn't give me any special attention, or look at me with sympathy-filled eyes. My parents did not enrol me in the training academy at first, thinking that I was way too delicate for that. They could not afford something else to happen to me. But Adrian trained me and my friends, Wallace and Winnie Shire supported me through everything. In fact, they were my only friends apart from my brother and I was really grateful to have them.

Gradually I became stronger and skilled. The trainers at the academy noticed that when Adrian told me to show them what I could do. Everything happened too quickly after that. They trainers took me in, Adrian convinced my parents that training was what would make me happy, and then I was suddenly chosen to volunteer for my District.

It was the biggest opportunity that I had ever got. When the academy declared their decision, the bullying stopped, the harassing ceased and yet I could feel the envious gazes burn through me.

It did not matter.

People had actually looked at me without bringing up my disability. No way was I going to throw away my chance. I had to win the Games. I needed to show my gratitude towards my parents, the academy, Adrian, the Shires. And then there was a small, hidden desire in my heart. A small hope and yet strong enough to drive me forward, to fuel my determination.

Maybe, just maybe I could speak again if I won. Maybe I would be able to get my vocal cords treated. Maybe…

"Ben?"

I was snapped out of my stupor by my friends. I hadn't even noticed when they had arrived.

I smiled at them and then raised my hand in greeting.

Winnie linked her arm with mine and then grinned. "So, our volunteer is all ready?"

I nodded, giving her a hug. Her smile faltered just a little when Wallace squeezed my hand tightly.

"Think again," he said, "Take a wise decision. If you don't want to then don't do it."

I moved my hands vigorously telling him that I did want it, that he need not worry.

"But what if-?"

 _It will be fine,_ I signed.

"Well, seeing that you are already dressed up and looking very handsome and all, we should go," Adrian said softly. I nodded at him.

I was so excited that I had dressed and done everything early in the morning. My chocolate brown hair was brushed back neatly, my grey suit complimenting my grey eyes. People told me they found my eyes to be very startling. I was tall, standing at six feet two, with a lithe figure that wasn't too muscular but still quite strong. I appeared to be as good as I could ever be.

Even on my way to the Square, my parents continuously fussed over me, trying to dissuade me from volunteering.

"We don't want to lose you, dear," mom said, her eyes bleak.

"Yes son. Please. Training is fine but-" dad almost cried out but I stopped him.

 _I want to do something, dad._

From the other end of the road, I saw Galilee walking towards the Square too. Having noticed me, she raised her hand in greeting and smiled. I smiled back. She was a sweet girl and I knew she was going to volunteer too. We didn't interact too much but I knew she was not very keen on doing this.

"Hello Bennett," she said.

 _Hi._

"Nervous?"

I nodded and then raised my brow at her.

"Same," she replied, "I- I don't want to- but you know there are some things you have to do even if you don't want to."

I agreed. In fact, I was not eager to see Galilee in the Arena. For me to come out, she would have to die. All I was hoping for was that it didn't happen by my hands. She was too nice for this.

Getting our fingers pricked, the two of us parted, after wishing each other luck. I took in a deep breath. This had to be done.

* * *

 **Galilee Schwartz (18) D1F**

Was it just me, or was Verity taking a little too long to choose a slip? Our escort was strange. She never showed enthusiasm. She never dressed weirdly. She didn't even have too strong Capitol accent.

"Clara Monteria, please come up."

"I volunteer as tribute!" I said in a loud, clear voice and forced myself forward. My legs felt as if they had turned to lead. There was no turning back now. Maybe it was not a good decision after all. But…

Verity offered me a sad smile, as if she knew I didn't want to be here. Nodded at her.

"Your name, young lady?" See? No enthusiasm to see a volunteer. I like it better.

"Galilee Schwartz," I said, "And I will do my best to make all of you proud."

There was a mild applause at that and I caught Bennett's eyes. He nodded at me and smiled and I smiled back. How was he going to volunteer? He couldn't speak…

"Desmond Lartz, can we have you here?"

As a young boy started towards the stage, three people yelled "I volunteer as tribute!" However, I saw Bennett racing ahead with a remarkable speed, something that I had not expected, and then literally diving over the younger ones' heads, landing spectacularly on the stage. Verity smiled at this show and a lot of people clapped as Bennett thrust a piece of paper towards Verity, who read it quickly.

"This is Bennett DeVallier, your male volunteer, and I am sure he'll do a good job. And now, District One, give it up for your tributes Galilee Schwartz and Bennett DeVallier!"

The two of us shook hands, and he looked at me shyly just as he always did. I laughed.

"Good luck."

He nodded and then the two of us were being led to the Justice Building, the applause still ringing in the air.

* * *

 **Hello people! Here it is, the first Reapings! Just because I wrote District One first doesn't mean I'll go in the order though. Many of you know I don't like following any order. Anyway, these two were fun to write for and I loved them. What do you think of these two? I'd love to hear your opinion but I request you to be respectful of other submitters. We're all here to enjoy, aren't we? Why should we make anyone sad, even though it was not intentional?**

 **Also, I want to apologise to many of you who submitted girl tributes because I could not accept them all. I never thought I would get so many submissions and it was so hard to choose my female tributes since all of your submissions were so great. I hope you'll read the story but I will understand if you don't want to.**

 **And I have not proofread this chapter, I never really do actually, so forgive me for any stupid mistake that I might have made.**

 **Have a great day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Reapings**

 **District Seven**

* * *

 **Rowan Clear (17) D7F**

It had been raining too heavily since morning. Thankfully, I did not have to go to work that day. Staring outside my window, I saw my image being reflected from the glass. Sad brown eyes, wavy auburn hair, a pale structure; my reflection reminded me of mom.

Not that I had ever seen mom. She died giving birth to me. If only we had the injection to clot her blood, she would not have bled to death. Biting my lower lip, I frowned at the reflection. Why was I not avenging her? If the Districts had not been so neglected maybe, just maybe mom would have been alive. It would have been so wonderful.

I didn't mean that my step-mom didn't look after me well. She loved me dearly and was always there for me but still, I missed mom. I wondered what she was like. Dad often told me I resembled her and this only made me more curious about her.

It was all the Capitol's fault. Those darned people were born to make our lives miserable. I worked so hard, my family worked so hard, and yet there was never enough money. I had to take tesserae. I had to live without mom. So many times I had seen the sadness in dad's eyes when he talked about her. I knew he loved her even now. But she was gone. Gone! And the reason? The negligence we had faced. But I could not forgive myself either. If I had not been born, maybe mom would be alive. These thoughts were irrational but the guilt just wouldn't go.

"Rowan! Rowan!"

Violet burst into my room and threw her arms around me. She was only ten, not old enough to be reaped. I was grateful for that.

"Look Rowan!"

With that she thrust the paper she had in her hands towards me. I took it and smiled at the painting. I used to bring wildflowers from the forest for her so that she could paint. She had drawn a really pretty dress with frills. She had made so much progress in drawing. I was proud of her.

"I wish I could afford such a dress for you," I thought, but aloud I said, "Wonderful Violet! It's beautiful, just like you!"

"Thank you! Drason tried to whistle at it."

I laughed. Drason was only six, with both his front teeth missing. I was trying to teach him how to whistle through the gap. He was making progress too.

Violet gave me another hug and then left, running to dad maybe. My smile vanished. There were too many things that were taken from me. How many people would have lost their loved ones due to the Capitol's tyranny? Were they not humans? Did they not deserve a nice life too?

Recently my thoughts had become over-rebellious. They were too scary to be shared. In fact, I kept myself silent usually because of it. A slip of tongue and they would know how much I hated the. Had I only been powerful enough to do something about it… I would have taught them a lesson. What did the Capitolites think of themselves? That they were invincible? That we were not people? Their mind set was sick.

It was almost time to go for the Reapings and the rain had not ceased. Would we have to stand in such a fierce downpour? Probably. I was wearing black shorts and a green shirt. I would not change; this was good enough. Tying my hair in a ponytail, I stared back at the window. Decent enough, not that I cared. Weren't we going now to celebrate a child's death?

Pulling on a raincoat, I walked out of my very bare room into an equally bare hall. Dad and my step-mom were talking about something in hushed voices. They looked worried, too worried for my liking.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Nothing dear," dad said and smiled. It was fake.

"Why are you both so anxious?"

"Rowan," my step-mom said, "You've taken too many tesserae although we told you not to and-"

"And nothing will go wrong," I cut her off, "I assure you."

And nothing would go wrong. I had waited for far too long for someone brave enough to come along and do something about our situation. Sadly, nobody did. At least I could do it at my level. We had become the change we wanted to see.

"I need to go to the Reapings. I am getting late."

"Wait-"

"No dad. It is very late."

"Let's go."

And the two of them followed me as I walked out of the house. We never took Violet or Drason to the reapings. It was too much to bear.

I hoped to meet Hale before the reapings. He was a member in my lumber team and we worked together. The two of us were friends and I thought he was very handsome. But I could not think about him like that. I might not see him ever again.

Sadly, there was nothing we could do about it.

* * *

 **Asher Ravenstone (15) D7M**

"It's raining hard today," I muttered as I leaned against mummy's shoulder. She patted my head lovingly and I grinned at her.

"Mummy, I don't want to go to the reapings," I said with a pout. She shook her head and then cupped my face in her hands.

"Sorry dear, but there's nothing we can do about it. You'll have to attend it."

"But what if I am chosen?"

My voice was trembling then. I could very well be chosen. "No silly," I thought, "I won't be picked. Mummy and daddy are with me."

Mummy smacked my head playfully.

"No Ash!" she said, "Didn't I tell you before that you won't be Reaped? You're too nice for that."

I nodded and then hugged her.

I loved my mummy and daddy but children at school often told me I was too childish and naïve. I didn't know why. But I was happy the way I was. And if being childish could make one happy then why should one want to grow up? I loved my life and I didn't want to change anything about it.

I jumped to my feet and then ran into my room to get dressed, mummy's laughter echoing in the house. I was lean and muscular so I was fast. Entering my room, I went straight to the mirror. Combing my medium length brown hair, which was the same colour as my eyes, I put on khaki shorts and a red T-shirt. I nodded at my reflection and then went to the kitchen to have some water.

"Ready, are you?" daddy asked.

Daddy was always a strict person but his presence was comforting. I felt safe around him and sometimes his eyes twinkled when he saw me. I loved him so much and he always tried to protect me.

"Yes. I'll just wait for a while for the rain to stop," I replied and then gulped down the water. Daddy stroked my hair softly and then smiled kindly at me and I grinned back at him. My parents were the most wonderful in the world and I knew they did everything in my best interests.

Both of them worked as lumber jacks and often took me along as well. They taught me the basics of handling an axe and chopping wood. I loved going there. I had been working with them since I was twelve and I enjoyed it. Why? Because when I was not working, they let me wander around in the forests.

I loved the lush green grass, the peaceful environment, the wind blowing. I liked to lie on the grass and ponder on things, think about the future. However, my parents never let me move outside their sight, and always watched me. Maybe because I was the only child, I didn't know. But I did know that they would be doing so for a reason so I obediently never went away too far.

"Here Asher, have some tomato soup!" mummy said. I beamed, realising how hungry I was. After all, it was always nice to have something warm during rain.

I slurped and made weird sounds while drinking. Mummy laughed lightly but daddy just frowned so I stopped. But then he smiled too and I chuckled.

Soon the soup was gone.

"We'll have to go now," mummy said and I felt just a tiny bit of worry in her voice. But she had no reason to be worried. She herself told me that I wouldn't be chosen.

The rain beat against my umbrella as if fighting an old foe. The sound was deafening and despite the umbrella I was very wet. I could barely see or hear anything but I could feel my parents on either side of me.

I bumped into a girl.

"Sorry!"

"It's okay. Oh, it's you Asher!"

I looked up to see Autumn and smiled at her. She was my schoolmate and my best friend, someone with whom I shared my secrets. She was like an elder sister to me and was a really pleasant person to have around.

"Autumn!"

The two of started walking ahead together, and my parents fell back a little so that we could talk in private.

"Who do you think will be Reaped?" she asked.

"I don't know. Hopefully, not you."

"What about you?"

"Mummy said I won't be Reaped."

"Hopefully. Anyway, what do we do after the reapings?"

"Celebrate the fact that we still get to live," I answered darkly.

It hurt when the Peacekeeper pricked my finger. Why did they do that? After that I was ushered to my section. The other fifteen-year-old boys were whispering among themselves, trying to assure each other, or rather themselves, that they wouldn't be chosen.

Henna, our escort, was dressed up in a long green dress that looked like a tree. I laughed softly. She was almost jumping around, even when the mayor gave his speech, which was thankfully short. Too long speeches were boring.

"And now, we shall begin with the boys!"

My heart started beating against my ribcage. It could be anyone. Not me. Definitely not me…

"Asher Ravenstone!"

My blood seemed to have turned cold. Why did she call me? It- it had to be a mistake. I couldn't be Reaped… Yeah, it probably was a mistake. I tried to look at my parents but my view was blocked. The boys started moving away from me. But why?! I opened my mouth to say that it wasn't me but my voice failed me. I could not move. Was I really…?

"Move along, kid," I heard a voice and then somebody pushed me. I saw that it was a Peacekeeper. So… I was Reaped. Slowly, I started moving forward. Why me? How could it happen? My umbrella fell from my hand and the rain mixed with my tears so nobody knew that I was trying not to cry, and failing at it.

On reaching the stage Henna asked me to say but I shook my head.

I was Reaped…

* * *

 **Rowan Clear (17) D7F**

I gritted my teeth. The poor boy was numb with shock, staring wildly at the crowd, his mouth slightly ajar. It was so sad… He didn't deserve it. None of us did.

"And the lucky girl is Mathilda Oak!"

"I volunteer as tribute!"

My voice rang clearly despite the roaring downpour. A silence seemed to have fallen in the Square as I moved forward towards the stage. People were giving me weird looks but I didn't care. I was doing this for them.

"Wonderful! May I have your name, young lady?" Henna exclaimed.

"Rowan Clear," I answered quietly.

"Ah Rowan, do you want to say anything to your District?"

I shook my head and looked at Asher, who was staring at me now. I smiled at him.

"Your tributes, District Seven! Rowan Clear and Asher Ravenstone!"

The two of us shook hands and his was trembling. I steadied it.

"But why?" he asked.

"Somebody has to fight it. I will at my level."

He looked confused but I didn't expect him to understand. What I could do against the Capitol was to volunteer and help some other tribute win. They deserved it.

And then maybe someone brave would come along and save this place, even at the cost of my death.

* * *

 **District Seven is here! I told you I won't go in order. Anyway, I feel I made Asher a little too childish here. Hopefully not.**

 **So, did you like these two? How far do you think they will go?**

 **By the way, I made a blog for this story and I'd love to know what you thought of the characters. Here is the site- thegardenofroseshg. Weebly. com**

 **Also, I know some of the tributes don't look as if they belong to that district. The reason is that I had to change their places and so it's not the submitters' fault. And anyway, there can be exceptions, right?**

 **Hope you enjoyed. Have a good day!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Reapings**

 **District Five**

* * *

 **Sevarian Vaask (16) D5M**

My feet hit the ground as the gang ran back to hideout. The security was catching up on me and my legs were aching now.

"George!" I called out to the other member of the gang. He turned around and saw that the security guards were not too far away. One of them grabbed my arm and I punched him square on the jaw while George came up to me and fought off the other guard. We saw more of them gain on us and headed out, diving behind a trash can and then crawling from there into a broken down building. I stood up and saw that the building was so old and weak that I got scare that it might fall on us.

"Come on," George said and pulled me along further into the building. We ran up the staircase and were soon on the rooftop. The guards had disappeared. There was another building right next to this one and we both ran towards it, taking a daring leap from the edge.

I thought I was going to fall but forced myself to not scream. Managing to grab the edge of the wall of the other building, I pulled myself up onto the roof. George and I ran down, past much surprised women and children, and then out onto the street.

Finally, we arrived at the hideout, just as the other members appeared there too, all of them panting, sweating, cursing.

"That was close," George muttered.

"Too close," Will grumbled. We saw that his arm was cut and was bleeding too badly. The boys looked at each other and then rank for the first aid kits, carrying him first into the hideout.

"But it was fun," I said with a slow grin creeping onto my face.

We didn't do anything wrong, or that's what we said. The gang just roamed around in the complex facilities, or power plants to just _check_ how well the workers there would deal with…problems. Usually our deeds didn't harm power production so the security didn't bother us. That day, however, we almost blew up the generator. It was an accident of course but the security didn't think so. Honestly speaking though, even if a few of those people died it wouldn't matter to me much. Five could do without so many people. After all, killing was no stranger to any of us.

Blake slapped my back and then smiled at me. "So ready for the Reapings?"

"Yeah, it will be fun to see the pig who would be slaughtered this year," I replied with a smirk.

He laughed and the other boys joined in. We were all very uncaring about everything but we were attached to each other. All of us were either orphans or children who were ignored all our lives. I had three elder brothers and a younger sister. My parents had fine jobs. I was the odd one out and they always gave more attention to my siblings. I had observed that ever since I was young. My brothers often got new, better toys. My sister got new dresses. I was given the old things, things that my brothers were bored of using. Needless to say, the relationship between my brothers and me wasn't very nice. However, I did get along with my sister better than with my brothers. Then I met George and Blake, who were so similar to me that for the first time I felt that I belonged somewhere. Slowly, our gang formed and expanded and now we were a second family to each other.

"We need to get ready," Blake said and then kicked at the ground.

"I don't want to move," Will groaned, holding up his injured arm.

"It's not that you have to walk on your hands," I said, patting it slightly. He winced in pain and I chuckled lightly.

"Man up, Will," George said.

Will glare at the two of us and the boys launched into another banter. I excused myself and went to the bathroom. I was too sweaty and stood under the shower when the other boys started banging on the door.

"Going to take the whole day?" George yelled.

"Shut up."

I brushed back my short black hair that certainly did not go with my green eyes or thin physique but I still managed to look just decent enough.

"Took long enough," Blake said and then went to change. Just then, Razor fell in through the opening of the hideout and all of us drew our knives.

"Oh, it's you," I said, lowering my knife. Razor glared at me and then turned to Will. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing."

I rolled my eyes. Razor and I never got along well. In fact, we hated each other and a part of me would be very glad if he were Reaped. He kind of reminded me of my eldest brother and I was not very fond of the said person.

"I am heading out," I said.

"Wait-" Razor said, blocking my way with his arm but I slapped it away. His arm had turned red where my hand had hit it.

"Never try to stop me from going anywhere. I have told you so many times. Do you enjoy being humiliated?"

And that's when all the boys laughed and I walked out, knowing that Razor was seething behind me.

* * *

 **Cecelia Vertigo (18) D5F**

Climbing trees was an effective way to remain fit. I needed to remain fit. Sure, I worked out quite a lot just for the fun of it, but this was something that I could do in the garden of my house.

Sitting on the branch, I looked at the grey sky. It was always grey and I found it depressing sometimes. It reminded me of my own situation, which wasn't the best. Any time my parents could find out my truth and they would shun me if they did. Disown me even. I didn't want to think about that.

In fact, I started working out only to distract myself from my troubles. It helped me at school too though and soon I was an athlete there. My parents were content. And my mind was off my problem.

No, the problem was not with me. The problem was that my parents had trouble accepting my kind. I had been raised to hate such people and now I was one of them. It came as a blow for me but if I told them…

My eyes travelled to a beautiful girl walking on the street. She had large, brown eyes and a really good physique. She was very attractive, to say the least. I turned red at the very thought. If I told my parents that I thought like that about another girl…

See? That was the problem. I found people of my own gender attractive. My parents found a person like me weird and our lifestyle to be horrifying and unnatural. I was raised to hate people like myself. How was I supposed to tell them?

I wished I didn't have to hide it though. Why couldn't my parents just accept me the way I was? I was their _daughter_ , for goodness' sake! I had not committed a crime! I tried so hard to get in their good books. Trying my best to win the competitions at school, trying my best to be at the top of my class. They were always pressurising me, without actually saying anything very bluntly. I felt miserable.

 _Stop,_ I thought, _your gender preferences don't define you._

But listening to my parents bantering about my kind did not really encourage me to think that way.

"Cecelia! Cecelia!"

I sighed. Mom was calling for me. Jumping from the tree, and realising only too late that I should not have jumped, I managed to land on my feet and then toppled forward, falling face first. That was embarrassing.

Picking myself from the ground, I walked into the house to find mom choosing a dress for me. It was a blue frilly thing that was gleaming too brightly for my liking. It was an ankle length dress and was accompanied by four inch heels. How was I even supposed to walk in high heels?

"Cecelia! My girl! What happened to you?" mom asked.

"I slipped," I answered dryly.

"Oh well, you better wash up before the Reapings. And here, I bought you a new dress!"

"Thanks mom," I replied, picking up the dress gingerly.

"Go get ready, sweet heart," she said, "My daughter should look her very best."

And then she was gone.

Sighing, I went to my room to change. After washing up I combed my long brown hair that were the same colour as my eyes. I was tall and well-built and I wondered why I needed these heels. These would only make me look awkward. And the blue dress just wouldn't go with my tanned skin, or my light freckles on the cheeks. But I knew this was expensive.

Having made sure that I looked as perfect as I could, I left the house without telling anyone. I needed to meet my friends. They knew my truth and it would only be right if I told them what I planned. I just could not live like this; being feared that I wouldn't be accepted, that what I would do would never be enough and especially the fear that people wouldn't like me despite all my efforts. There was no point of living if that failed. I liked things to be perfect and that's exactly what it wasn't right then.

Delilah and Annabell were waiting outside the Square for me. I grinned at both of them since they were the only ones who understood me. Delilah gave me a hug and Annabell punched my shoulder lightly.

"Looking very pretty," she said with a smirk. I laughed.

"Seriously? I didn't even want to wear this."

"And very tall as well," Delilah added. I shrugged.

"Okay girls, I have to tell you something."

The two looked up at me and I clenched my fists. I had to let them know. I had to share it. _Come on Cecelia!_ But I couldn't. They would try to dissuade me from doing this. I knew it was not only risky but also foolish. But I had to go ahead with it.

"If something ever happens to me," I said, "Tell mom and dad about my truth. And tell them that I have always loved them and respected them."

"Why are you talking like that?" Annabell asked sceptically, "You aren't…?"

"She is!" Delilah exclaimed, "You can't do that Cecelia!"

"There is no choice!" I screamed, "I want to be accepted. To be loved despite my-my _condition_ and for that I need to prove myself to my parents. This is the only way!"

"It's not!"

"It is!"

Annabell just stared at me as if she was seeing me for the first time. I locked eyes with her, trying to tell her to understand. She shook her head.

"Just try not to die," she said slowly, as if she was regretting her words even while uttering them. I nodded. Delilah looked at her incredulously.

"Are you _mad?!_ " she cried, "Cecelia is talking about volunteering herself for a death-match!"

"Talking won't change her mind," Annabell said, "And sometimes, you just have to fight."

Delilah looked at me then at her and then back at me in bewilderment. She continued to stare at us like that even when we got our fingers pricked and parted ways; she went to the Seventeen-year-old section and I joined Annabell among the eighteen-year-olds.

"And now, our female tribute is-"

When did Carissa come? What was I thinking all this time?

"- Elle Shawns!"

My resolve hardened when I saw that Elle was only thirteen, and very frightened indeed. She wasn't going to die.

"I volunteer as tribute!"

* * *

 **Sevarian Vaask (16) D5M**

The volunteer introduced herself as Cecelia Vertigo and she was a much determined woman. And much stupid too. Who would actually go in the Games willingly? Not me.

"And the male tribute is," Carissa paused for effect. My heart was beating wildly against my ribcage. Hurry up woman!

"Sevarian Vaask!"

"What?!" I cried. I was Reape. I was Reaped?! Me?! Out of all the people me?!

"Please come up on the stage."

I couldn't move, I was too stunned for that. Somebody shoved me from behind and I glared at him but he only looked at me apologetically. Slowly, I started forward, my legs screaming at me to run from there. I looked around, hoping someone would volunteer for me too. No such luck. My District Partner looked tough.

Carissa gave me the microphone. "I'll try to give you a victor this year," I said, trying to sound as confident as I could without it sounding fake.

Cecelia had a steely look while she shook my hand. But I could manage. After all, killing was no stranger to me…

* * *

 **I know I have messed up these two. Hopefully, it wasn't as bad as I feel it is. But I loved writing for these two. I'd love to hear your opinions on them.**

 **Have a great day!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Reapings**

 **District Four**

* * *

 **Oceane Cascade (17) D4F**

Isla backed from her promise. She said it didn't matter. I couldn't understand how she could say so. Isla and I were best friends, and she was my only friend in all honesty. When we were eight, we had given a promise to each other that we would volunteer when we would be elder. Now she shrugged off the promise, saying that we had said that when we were children, when we didn't understand better. She tried to dissuade me from volunteering too but I couldn't back down. It was my year and a promise was a promise.

"You don't have to do it," Isla said again as she munched on a cheese sandwich. I raised my brows at her.

"Oceane, it's dangerous. You can _die_ in the arena!"

"Thanks for the encouraging statement."

"You know it's true."

"I can't not do it. Everyone knows I will volunteer."

"So?"

"I am requesting you Oceane, let it be. Some other girl will take your place."

I didn't say anything. Nodding slowly, I pick up a sandwich and look up at Isla. Eleven years of friendship had brought the two of us very close. Closer than friends usually are anyway.

"Did you do your homework, or did you think that since you had to volunteer you might as well put it off?"

"Obviously, I have not completed it," I scoffed, "Who would waste their time on homework?"

"Good point."

"What about the male? The Academy did not tell us who is going to be the male volunteer."

"I have heard it's Daniel Firaht," Isla answered.

"Him?" I asked in surprise, "He's popular, yes, but he's been chosen?"

"That's what I heard from my friend."

Leaning back in my chair, nibbling at my sandwich, I thought about Daniel being my District Partner. He was very loud and pushy. Really focused as well.

"Nice," I muttered softly and Isla glanced at me nervously.

"But why would you care?" she said, trying to brush off the thought of me volunteering, "You will never do anything irrational."

"Of course," I answered, "Of course I won't."

Isla kept staring at me suspiciously and then I raised my brow at her again. "Stop staring," I said in a somewhat irritated voice. She grinned at me.

"I know you are angry with me for trying to dissuade you," she said, "So let's cheer you up. You feel like swimming?"

She knew I always felt like swimming. There was nothing I loved more than feel the water wash over my body, the strokes, the joy of being in the sea. I also liked fishing, since my parents had a fishing business. Tilting my head, I smiled at Isla.

"Okay, let's go."

We had arrived at the sea-shore ad tired ourselves that day. The sun was pretty high and the two of us were kind of basking then. The sand felt soft against my body and I could see many people fishing or swimming. A cool breeze was blowing and I was enjoying it.

Enjoying it enough to tell Isla the truth.

"Isla," I said, looking at the sky and trying to avoid her gaze, "I'll have to do it."

"But-"

"I can't back away. Not now. Not today."

"But why?! Ugh, Oceane, you were eight when you promised that! It doesn't mean a thing!"

"It means a lot to me!" I snapped at her angrily, "Why can't you understand?! It's about a goal! I knew I had to do and that's why I decided it so long ago. I have spent years training for this day! I can't not take part in the Games! It's my fate!"

"That's nonsense!" Isla almost screamed, "Why are people here so stupid?! A lot of 'trained' tributes go into the Games every year and so many of them die Oceane! I don't want to lose you!"

With that Isla got up and left, not looking back once. I felt bad about being so mean to her. Even when I was trying not to be mean, it often happened that I was. Looking at her retreating form, I sighed and pulled myself to my feet. I just hoped this decision would not make her hate me. I had only one friend in the world; I didn't want her to leave me too.

* * *

 **Victory Fervaix (16) D4M**

I was a failure. Peril's smiling face swam in front of my eyes whenever I had free time. I didn't like free time. If only she were alive. It didn't really help that it was partly my fault that she died. Not that it wasn't going to happen, but it was my fault it happened before the time it was supposed to.

Peril, my cousin, being only thirteen at the time, was training at the academy. She and her rival were fighting in a pool at the training centre, and there were rocks in there for simulation. Everything was well and good until her opponent pushed her in too much, which resulted in her spinal cord getting damaged. When she was taken to the hospital, we found out her respiratory system was failing. There were no medicines available, the expenses were too high and we could never afford to get her treated completely.

I felt like crying but I didn't. I never cried.

The doctors had given us the date she would die. Four days before that, I visited her.

My cousin and I were very close. She was my best friend, my secret keeper, someone who understood me very well. She was lying in her bed, all sorts of weird equipment attached to her, and it wasn't a pretty sight. But we didn't bring up her situation while we talked. We conversed about the training centre, our friends, school, anything. Time seemed to have passed by too quickly and I got up, knowing it was time for me to leave. I wasn't crying even then, for it just didn't feel like Peril would leave me.

"Victory?"

Hearing her voice, I turned around to look at her. "Y-yes?"

"Before-before you go, can I ask you for one last thing?" she looked as if she had accepted something. She looked…determined.

"Sure. What do you want?"

Peril closed her eyes and sighed deeply. It seemed as if she was content.

"I want this to be my last memory."

My eyes widened at that and the earth seemed to be trembling slightly just as she uttered those words.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked anxiously.

"Will you detach this cord for me? Please?"

"NO!" I bellowed, "Why would you want that?! Have you gone mad?! This is stupid!"

The cord was what was supplying her with oxygen. If it detached, she would die. Why would she want that?

"Vic, I know about the expenses. Everyone tries to keep it from my eyes but I know. Just not breathing right." She tried to chuckle but failed.

"I know I am going to die soon. I have heard them talk outside this room. I'm a hopeless case, Vic. This is the only thing left."

A tear trickled down my cheek. For the first time in my life did I cry.

"Why-why me?" I asked in a broken voice, "Why not your parents? You friend Alyss? Why n-not them?"

"Because you are the only one who will understand. Mom and dad will start fussing and ask me to be sedated. Alyss is too selfish to do it. If I could, I w-would have done i-it myself but I can't even m-move. You're the only one."

"No…"

"I want to die by my own choice Victory. Please. And I won't die immediately. It'll take a- a day."

My senses, my heart, my soul were screaming at me to not do it. But my hands started moving of their own accord. Trembling too much, they still managed to detach the cord. Peril smiled.

When she was dead, her security cameras were checked. They found out it was me. Nobody understood anything. I was shunned by everyone, my parents and siblings grew cold towards me. I was an outcast.

That was two years ago and my situation was pretty much the same.

And now, my friend was about to volunteer. What if he died? I didn't want to lose Daniel, after all, ever since my family shunned me, Daniel and Elle were all I had. Elle was kind of a therapist for me. I told her everything and she carried my guilt with her too. She knew me well but it had been a while since we met.

Meanwhile, Daniel was trying to teach me how to use weapons. At the moment, it really seemed to be the only focus of his life. I didn't mind, because the rigorous training helped me take my mind off Peril.

While I was sulking in the shady corner of Daniel's room, my friend seemed to be going through his closet. I was financially poor, and my parents wanted nothing to do with me, so I didn't really hav anything decent to wear to the Reapings.

"Here," he said, producing a pair of denim jeans, a white T-shirt and a denim jacket. I looked at my feet to notice that my sneakers were blue. Maybe that's why Daniel chose everything blue for me.

"Thanks," I said and smiled at him.

At one time, I hated taking anything from anyone. But I was not in that position anymore. I was used to taunts, to humiliation and everything. So when someone wanted to help me out of the goodness of their heart, I considered it to be a blessing.

I combed my curly brown hair that was angled and tousled and plain weird. My eyes were pale blue and dull, more like robin's eggs than actual eyes. My nose was crooked towards the left and I had a tan. I looked nothing against most of the people there.

Daniel and I were soon in the Square. We were waiting for the escort to come up and I was hoping he wouldn't volunteer. Not that I didn't have faith in him but I just didn't want to take a risk.

"And now for our female tribute-"

When did the escort come on the stage? What was I doing the whole time? How come I didn't notice this beautiful lady get on the stage?

"Isla Crest! Isla Crest, please come on the stage!"

A seventeen-year-old girl started walking ahead confidently but I could see she was scared.

"I volunteer as tribute."

The voice was crystal clear and a beautiful girl with long wavy brown hair and beautiful blue eyes started walking towards the stage confidently. She had a tan like me and she was not very tall, standing at around five foot three only. But she was pretty.

"Your name, young lady?"

"Oceane Cascade, and I will bring victory to my District."

* * *

 **Oceane Cascade (17) D4F**

The crowd applauded loudly as I looked at them in a steely way. Isla was looking at me as if asking me why I had done it. I looked away from her.

"And now the male! It is Victory Fervaix!"

Nobody moved. I looked at Daniel, who just stood on his spot as if he had a new and amazing idea. A boy, most likely Victory, leaned back and whispered something in Daniel's ears.

Daniel just smiled. "No," he said. It didn't help they were standing right in front of the line, everything was pretty audible.

"What are you saying?! It's your year to volunteer!"

"Not if I want you to go into the Games," Daniel replied. Nobody was doing anything; the escort, the mayor, the Peacekeepers, none of them understood what was going on.

"DO YOU WANT TO KILL ME?!" Victory screamed. I felt horrible for him. Daniel…

"No! I'm getting you to learn how to use weapons!"

I face-palmed. I knew Daniel was irrational but this was too much! Learn how to use weapons! Hwat did he even mean?!

A few boys opened their mouth but Daniel gave them a cold glare.

"It's Vctory's year. Nobody will volunteer! Nobody!"

With that he gave Victory a gentle push and the boy started towards the stage. He wasn't crying but he looked close to tears. He made a sniffling sound and then just stood next to me.

"Y-Your tributes this year! Oceane Cascade and Victory Fervaix!"

The audience clapped while we shook hands. He looked so gloomy…

I looked at Daniel in the crowd, cheering on his friend. Suddenly I felt blessed that he wasn't going to be my District Partner…

* * *

 **District Four is here! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it was sort of late but…**

 **And thank you all so much for your reviews! Each one of them means a lot to me.**

 **Have a good day!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Reapings**

 **District Twelve**

* * *

 **Persephone "Perry" Aster (16) D12F**

I leaned against Caspian and stared at the pond in front of us. This was our regular spot. His house in the Victor's Village was nice and simple and I liked the garden, mainly because of this pond. A very tensed girl was staring back at me. She had dark blond hair, and almond shaped eyes, very pale blue, filled with intense sadness and anxiety. She had full lips, in somewhat of a pout, and lots of freckles on her face. I was not very proud of my appearance, especially since I was short too.

Caspian didn't mind though. He never minded anything. Maybe that's why I loved him. He had opened my eyes and shown me the true horrors of the Games.

A couple of years back, Caspian had volunteered to go into the Games instead of his brother. I was, at the time, jealous of him. Ever since I was a young girl, I had been surrounded by fanatics who were die-hard Hunger Games fans. Naturally, I was one too. The reason behind that was simple- my mom had won the Games in her time. I was not proud to say that she had been pretty ruthless. Monstrous even. She had _enjoyed_ it. She _wanted_ us to volunteer for a death-match. Naturally, that was what my sisters and I learned too. But when Caspian returned as a Victor I saw how drastically he had changed. He was… broken. I was shocked, to say the least. My family always said it was an honourable and fun experience to go in the arena.

Caspian shattered my belief. He told me everything he went through in the arena. The tears he shed made me realise what a monster I was to want to volunteer. Slowly we became friends, despite the four years age gap and then… I didn't even realise when we became more than just friends. But it was nice, having someone reliable, someone who cared about me genuinely.

I disliked my sisters. I tried so hard to make them understand that training was wrong, that the thought of going to the games was wrong, that their idea of honour was _wrong._ All because of a sadist mother. I hated her, all she wanted was blood and money.

"What are you thinking?" Caspian asked as he gently squeezed my hand.

"Nothing," I replied, already feeling a little angry due to the thoughts of my mom.

"You're lying."

"So what if I am? It's none of your business," I said furiously, immediately regretting it.

Caspian's shoulders slumped and he smiled apologetically at me.

"I'm sorry Cas," I said, giving him a hug, "I didn't mean to- you know how annoying they can be! She wants me to volunteer, that old hag!"

"I know," he answered, returning my hug, "But you won't do something that stupid, right?"

"Of course not. I'm planning on spending my life with you, not waste it away in that daunting place."

Caspian gave a light chuckle which brought a smile to my face. He was always so sad, as if thousands of horrible thoughts were going through his head at once. A simple laugh was a good change to see.

"Are you ready to mentor, Cas?"

"Not really Perry," he replied, his smile gone, replaced by an almost terrified expression that kind of made me feel guilty for raising the subject, "I got away from it last time but it won't happen again. I'm- I'm scared, Perry."

"No need to be scared," I replied, "You know? Just bomb the capitol if you get the chance."

He grinned. "I'll try that."

"And tape the whole scene for me. Better still, invite me over and we'll just enjoy it together."

"Sounds like a good idea."

For the next few minutes we just sat quietly, although it was not in my nature to be quiet. I loved being around people and having fun, but right now sitting with Caspian in silence seemed to be a much better alternative.

"Is any of your sister planning to volunteer?" he asked finally.

"No," I replied, "Teresa will do so next year. Others are still training."

He looked at me intensely and I shrugged. My sisters and I didn't get along any more, not since I started seeing Caspian. They wanted to please mom. So be it.

Standing up, I said, "Reapings will start soon. I must go."

Caspian took me in an embrace for far too long. I could feel his nervousness, his fear. Clutching his shoulder hard, I stared at him.

"Mentoring will be okay."

"Perry, I am worried about you. I-I just hope you aren't Reaped. It would be too much for me…"

"Nothing will happen," I replied, "And even if it does happen, we both know who will be the best candidate, don't we?"

I winked but my heart was racing. What if I was Reaped? What would happen? Could I win?

One thing was sure. Nobody would volunteer for me…

* * *

 **Bridge Carter (12) D12M**

"There is a leakage in the roooofff!

"Boys should be aloooofff!

"I'm so magical that you'll go pooofff!"

I looked at my friends, expecting an applause for my amazing song, but they all just stared blankly at me. Slightly disgusted at their reaction, I decided to ignore it.

"So you think you are tough?!

"Blood you will cough!

"Fighting me will be rough!

"For me beating you will be enough!"

Shelly, completely out of politeness, applauded and smiled at me. Clara and Tristan just stared as if I was mad. This made me angry. Couldn't these people recognise talent when they saw one?

"You all are boring. I'll just stuff your heads with hay."

"Shut up kid," Tristan muttered, getting to his feet, "You're too small to actually beat anyone up."

"And too adorable!" Shelly said, grabbing my cheeks and pulling them in a very painful fashion. I cried out in pain and dug my nails into her hands, drawing a little blood. She shrieked and drew back her hands.

"You monster!" Clara shouted at me, running towards Shelly.

"I am sorry Shelly!" I gasped.

"It's okay," she responded.

"It's not okay," Tristan said and stomped up to me. My brother towered over me easily; he was sixteen after all. Before I could even decide to do anything, his hand struck me on the cheek. I fell on the floor due to the sheer force, my cheek was stinging, and tears were dripping from my eyes.

"First you waste our time with your idiotic songs and now you go on a murderous frenzy! I am tired of you Bridge! You are so annoying!"

That was enough. Jumping to my feet, I ran towards him angrily and pushed him back forcefully. He fell down and I jumped on top of him, punching him repeatedly. I didn't stop until Clara pulled me back and then punched me back and pushed me on the floor.

"Stop it! Stop it please!" Shelly cried and hugged me.

"Why are you siding with this demon?!" Clara shrieked.

"Because she is smart, you foolish woman!" I snapped.

Tristan was back on his feet and he gave me a death glare before walking out. I stared as Clara left too, leaving me behind with Shelly. Before I knew, I was howling like a young child, my arms around Shelly's neck.

"Nobody loves me Shelly! They are always- they are always picking on me!"

"No, no dear," she said kindly, wiping my tears and tilting my chin up so I was looking at her, "It's the Reapings. That's why they are worried."

"They are worried the whole year!" I cried out, my voice very hoarse then. I was tired of the way they treated me. As if I was scum. Tristan was perfect. He got good marks, he was good in sports, he was a good host in the school functions, he was handsome, he was intelligent, he was well-mannered, he was respectful, he was a Prefect! Prefect Tristan! Who would notice little Bridge, the boy of below average intelligence, mediocre scores, wild nature and no skills whatsoever?

Just then the door swung open and my step-dad walked in. Tristan was his son. I wasn't. Our mom was dead. My step-dad, Lignite, looked at Shelly and she walked out of the room. Lignite closed the door and then turned towards me, fury etched on his face. But I wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"What?" I asked.

"You hit Tristan?"

"Yes," I replied, "He hit me-"

"Enough!" he said, "Enough of this! No supper tonight. Got it?"

"Why? Your name is written on the food that I can't have it?" I retorted.

His eyes held such a rage that it almost scared me.

"You're not my son, boy," he said in a low whisper, "You should be grateful that I let you live in this house. But today, after the Reapings, you will leave. I kind of wish you are Reaped. Only your death will give me peace now."

A strange calm descended over me. So… he wanted peace? I smiled lightly at him and he frowned, probably suspecting something. Looking around, I saw my chair. Lifting it up, I threw it at him. Maybe he never predicted I could do that. He fell on his back and I lifted the chair again, and threw it down on him. Stooping low, I dug my nails into his throat, holding my other hand over his mouth. He pushed me off but then I rolled over, got up, and kicked him in the side before bringing the up the steel chair and hitting him on the head. He went still, blood oozing from his head, his eyes staring at nothingness.

"Well, good sir," I whispered, "Rest in _peace._ "

He stared at me stupidly and I put the chair back in its place.

"Wait…"

I turned around. Did I actually…? No, I couldn't. I couldn't! I was a child! A mere child! I couldn't!

"D-dad?" I asked softly.

He did not respond. Obviously. Could I get away with this?

"Shelly."

Shelly had left the room. She knew dad visited me. What if she put two and two together? Should I get rid of-

"Bridge!" I almost yelled at myself.

What was I thinking?! Shelly, I couldn't do that to her! To anyone!

 _I kind of wish you are Reaped. Only your death will give me peace now._

"If that's what you want, dad," I whispered, tears going down my cheeks, "I-I'll go into the arena. That was your last wish."

 _It would be better to volunteer than to be caught by the Peacekeepers. Prison life is not for me._

I quickly changed into a blue T-shirt and shorts, combed my black hair, which really complemented my almost black eyes, and put on my blue sneakers. I looked innocent, when I looked at the mirror. How could I…?

But it was not time to ponder on that. It was time to execute my plan of escaping the prison. Volunteering really was the only option I had…

I raced towards the Square, ignoring that idiot Clara as she told me to slow down. The Square was right in front of my house. Trying to mix into the crowd, I stood in the line to get my finger pricked between two very tall people. I was short and I was glad about it right then.

The escort was boring. He was dragging everything unnecessarily. Holding out the girl's name's slip, he drawled out her name.

"Persephone Aster!"

The cameras found a sixteen-year-old girl. Maybe she was Persephone. She was swearing loudly and when a Peacekeeper approached her, she grabbed him and pushed him so hard he landed on his back. Unable to help myself, I laughed aloud.

Looking at her going onto the stage, only one thought ran in my mind. That she would be an interesting District Partner.

* * *

 **Persephone "Perry" Aster (16) D12F**

I wanted to shove this man off the stage. He was dragging everything! Why was he so slow?! And he dared to choose my name!

I caught Caspian's eye. He was trying to look impassive but his bleak eyes told me everything. Would he mentor me?

Tearing away my gaze, I looked at Julio fishing for a name. This man was infuriating me now. Why did these people enjoy doing this?!

"Hurry up already!" I cried, "We haven't got all day!"

He gave me a stern look and then chose a slip.

"Drake Luvguard!"

I saw a short, twelve-year-old coming towards the stage _excitedly._ Was he mad?! He was twelve! He had been Reaped! And he looked as if his wish had come true!

"I volunteer!"

Looking away from the slightly angry and slightly sad face of the weird child, I saw the boy who volunteered. And almost collapsed. Slanted dark eyes, innocent face…

… The volunteer was a twelve-year-old. A child. A small, short child. He looked scared. His legs were trembling. But he volunteered. He was trying to look confident. But he wasn't. He didn't look confident. Did someone force him to do this? He was just a child!

Are you crazy?!" I cried out when he stood next to me. His eyes widened and he shook his head.

"Your name, boy?" Julio asked.

"B-Bridge Carter," he whispered. He looked really scared. I looked into the crowds only to find stunned faces staring back at us.

"District Twelve! Your tributes- Persephone Aster and Bridge Carter!"

We shook hands, and his was trembling very slightly. Pity washed over me. Poor boy.

"Did someone force you to do this, Bridge?" I asked.

"Circumstances did," he replied sadly, looking close to tears. It was getting unbearable for me.

But Bridge had already created history.

* * *

 **This was so fun to write! I love these two. I understand if you find Bridge to be slightly disturbing. His POV might even be weird, because initially he was all good and then, you know. But really, that was intentional. Oh well. Do let me know what you think of these two.**

 **Also, in the last chapter, Daniel did not volunteer because he thought that Victory could learn how to use weapons in training. I know, irrational, right? But that was the case, and he was not spiteful towards his friend. He just had a… different way of thinking.**

 **So thank you all for reading and have a great day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Reapings**

 **District Ten**

* * *

 **Arrington "Ivy" Hart (16) D10F**

Sinclair took one look at my drawing and burst into laughter.

To be honest, it was laughable. Why did I draw a man with the body of a pineapple and the face of a human with ears of a dog? It did not matter though; it was enough for me that it made my friend laugh.

"Man of your dreams, huh?" she asked teasingly with a wink. I felt myself going red and turned away, only to hear her giggle a bit.

"Please Sinclair, you know I am not interested in boys and all that stuff. I'm not old enough," I said, taking the drawing back from her.

"Relax," she said, "I was just joking."

"You know that joking with me is dangerous."

I didn't say that in a threatening way. Sinclair nodded in understanding and I trembled slightly. What if Ivy woke up now? Or worse still, during the Reapings…?

"Calm down," Sinclair said patiently, "And now let us ruin this picture."

I chuckled as she started drawing a moustache on the man's face. It looked really comical now and I grinned at Sinclair, who was looking at her handy work in admiration.

"Arrington," Sinclair said abruptly, looking away from the drawing, "You know Kelly? Our junior student who is always asking you about something or the other?"

"Of course I know her."

"Well, yes. Obviously."

"What about her?"

"Yeah well, she was looking for you yesterday after you left for home. Said she wants to be tutored by you."

"Really?! T-that's great!"

Teaching was a profession I loved, and one that I considered to be very noble. It commanded respect and the pay wasn't all that bad. I wanted to be a teacher after completing my education but why should I say no to a tuition offer? And Kelly was a nice girl after all…

"Let me braid your hair," she said and pushed me into my chair. She began working on my strawberry blond hair, making the most intricate braid that I could imagine. My hair looked good with my blue eyes. I was thin but not really weak. Something that Ivy could use.

Ivy… she was a part of me. It was sad, really. She did everything that I hated. I was suffering from multiple personality disorder. Sometimes, quite randomly I would… change. I was of conservative thoughts and liked helping people. Marriage, boys, dating- these were not my focus. But my other part, Ivy, was completely opposite. She was seductive and so rude. So rude. I hated that the most. She was always getting into fights, always being ungrateful, something I really disliked. And the problem was that we were the same.

It wasn't as if my parents did not try to help me. There was a psychiatrist and they paid him a lot of money but Ivy was so wild that she scared him. She actually attacked him. He gave up on me. Many came and left but nobody could get rid of Ivy.

Thinking of Ivy wasn't a good idea.

Oh it was a very good idea!

Arrington was too sweet. Her sweetness was annoying. Even as this idiot Sinclair worked on my braid, I slapped her hand away.

"Keep your filthy hand away from me!" I growled. How did Arrington put up with this girl anyway? She was so annoying!

Sinclair raised her brow at that.

"Sit down."

"No," I replied, working on the braid myself, "I want to meet Joey before the Reapings."

"You don't even know Joey," Sinclair grumbled.

"Doesn't matter," I replied, pulling out a really short dress from the closet. It was a shame that it was the only one in Arrington's closet, others were all too long and loose.

Sinclair grabbed my wrist and pushed me towards the chair.

"Get out, you idiot."

"You dared to call me an idiot?!" I bellowed angrily.

"Do you see anyone else here, Ivy?"

"Stop being so disrespectful!"

"I'll give you the same treatment that you give people."

"How does that Arrington put up with a scum like you?!"

"The same way she puts up with a scum like you," Sinclair retorted in that very patient yet aloof manner of hers.

"Get out of the way."

"Nah."

And then she went on a non-stop talking track. Picking up the first thing I could get, which was a bottle of perfume, I flung it at her. And being the irritating brat she is, she ducked without stopping her lecture and continued as if nothing had happened.

"I can't take this anymore!" I screamed and my shoulders slumped.

"Please, not again," I groaned. Ivy was horrible. Sinclair was the only one who could lecture her out of me. I shouldn't think of her much. My eyes fell on the dreadful dress again. Why would she want to wear that? It was so short!

"Arrington, get ready," Sinclair said with a smile. I nodded and stood up even as she left the room. Closing the door, I went to search the closet, hoping to find something less skimpy.

* * *

 **Reynard Ciervo (18) D10M**

What puzzled me at the moment was that the girl with strawberry blond hair was going to the Reapings right then. There was still quite a lot of time left. She looked in a hurry and then another girl, a redhead, followed her. Maybe she was her friend, or maybe sister? It looked as if she was her friend. There were no similarities between them whatsoever.

"Reynard, we have to go and load a few of the trains," Oskar said as I saw him run towards me. I groaned internally. Work? On Reaping Day?

"Shouldn't we like, get ready?" I asked, looking at him in mild urgency. He rolled his eyes.

"We have some time."

I considered my options. I could out-rightly refuse but that would not end well. Or I could tag along with him and still stall work. I preferred the second option. Being polite was essential; after all I had observed that most people didn't take kindly to being told no.

"Come on then," I said and my friend smiled.

I followed Oskar, the two of us as silent as the dead of night. Silence was good, it helped me notice the habits of other people. It helped me think. Oskar agreed and knew when to stay quiet. He was my co-worker at the shipping yard, where we loaded the cartons of meat onto the trains for export. It was an okay job, I guess.

"Who do you think will be Reaped?"

I had no idea, to be honest. But looking at the trend of the past three years, it had to be someone younger than fifteen. It was sad, really. Those young children didn't really do very well, one of them died in the Bloodbath. But then again, trends changed. It could be annoying. One could spend a whole lot of time to figure out a pattern and then suddenly that pattern would change. Not that it would take a genius to realise that only the young ones were targeted since three years. It was quite evident.

"It can be anyone."

"I hope it's one of us."

I didn't reply. It could be one of us, of course. But I hadn't really taken any tesserae. So that lowered my chances. It was the same with Oskar.

Instinctively, I looked down on the ground, only to see a rope hanging a few centimetres above it. It was tied to the polls on either side of the road and I frowned. It was obviously done to trip someone. Looking behind, I saw a few younger children playing. There was one boy who looked as if he was searching for someone or something. So maybe whoever tied this rope wanted to trip that boy. It could be his friend.

Carefully, I walked over it. Unfortunately, Oskar didn't see it and fell face down. I heard a high-pitched laughter as a young boy came into view. Oskar glared at the boy and that shut him up. Shaking my head, I continued on my path when suddenly the bell rang. The Reapings would be soon. Walking slow had its perks, now there was no need to go to work.

"What about the cartons?" Oskar asked, the child now gone. After a pause of a few seconds, I replied, "We'll work after the Reapings. The cartons aren't going anywhere."

I did not have a chance to be Reaped, then why was I feeling so low? Why did I feel as if something bad was going to happen? As if, as if I was going to be Reaped? What if I was Reaped? Not trying to be negative, but I had to consider that. Maybe I could get an alliance. Maybe I could get sponsors. But what if I… died?

The thought was enough to stop me in my tracks. Oskar turned to look behind, his brows raised.

"Nothing," I said.

Death…it was a horrific thought. Enough to chill my blood. I didn't want to die. But if things could go according to my plans then I could win.

But sometimes, things didn't go according to plan. I was young, around two or three years old, when my parents separated. I was not old enough to be affected much but my elder brother, Adolph, he was mad at our parents. The separation made him bitter and as soon as he was old enough, he moved out of the house. It would have been nice to know my father. Maybe then Adolph wouldn't be so angry. Lack of father made me feel insecure sometimes, and I didn't like that.

"We are here," I muttered as we fell into the line of children getting their fingers pricked. It was not that long, only five people ahead of me. Looking around, I saw that most people had assembled there already. Oskar and I were the only eighteen-year-old boys there.

The Peacekeeper did not say anything and neither did I as I held my hand forward. I shut my eyes as he injected the needle and drew blood.

The two of us joined the eighteen year olds and we did not have to wait long for Glaze to come up on the stage.

Glaze was known throughout Panem for her unmatched enthusiasm. She was always excited. Or we thought she was always excited. Behind the makeup I could see how scared she was. Without a doubt, she did an impressive job of hiding it, but she was scared. Whenever she Reaped a tribute, a sadness seemed to reflect in her eyes. Maybe she wasn't that bad. But who knew?

"Arrington Hart! Darling, please come up! Give it up for Arrington Hart!"

"No!" a girl screamed. I turned to look at the same girl I had seen earlier. She was on trembling on the spot, shaking her head, a few tears in her eyes. Poor girl. Somebody prodded her from behind and she shook her head even more.

"Please! Please no! Don't do this!"

"Arrington, sweetheart, please come here! I promise I won't hurt you," Glaze said in a soothing voice but it was laced with excitement. With shaky steps, the girl started her long journey to the stage when that happened.

Arrington threw back her head and laughed. With a speed that nobody would have imagined suitable for a weeping girl like her, she ran onto the stage, a smirk on her face.

"Y-You want to say something?"

"I'll be back people. Ivy will win this game. Just watch!"

I narrowed my eyes. Was she acting or was she really that confident?

* * *

 **Arrington "Ivy" Hart (16) D10F**

"Well said, girl!"

"Obviously. I am Ivy freaking Hart, the queen of fabulousness."

And I was. Who could deny that? And now that Sinclair wouldn't be with me in the arena. Nobody could bother me. I saw her in the crowd, a few tears in her eyes, her face all pale. In all honesty however, I would miss her.

"And now, please welcome the wonderful Reynard Ciervo!"

The cameras found him instantly. He was eighteen, with brown eyes and brown hair. Not much muscle. Quite tall. However, I didn't get how the cameras found tributes so easily? Were the Reapings rigged or something? Did these people already decide who they wanted to compete? It didn't matter.

Reynard seemed to be shocked. His face looked numb, as if he could not believe it. I could see his lower lip twitch slightly.

"Reynard, honey, we're waiting for you!" Glaze called out in that annoying way of hers.

Slowly, the boy started forward. He seemed to be in a trance, as if unable to understand what was happening. Glaze thrust the microphone towards him when he arrived on the stage but he didn't say anything.

I winked at him but was met with a rather cold look. It didn't matter, I would make him fall head over heels in no time.

"District Ten, your tributes! Arrington Hart and Reynard Ciervo!"

* * *

 **I am not sure what I did with them. I am not well and I think this was affected by that, sadly. Anyway, let me know your thoughts on them. I really like these characters and I enjoyed writing them.**

 **Have a good day!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Reapings**

 **District Eight**

* * *

 **Cassidy Kelly (18) D8F**

"Eloise, will you like to try bishop sleeves?" I muttered to myself, trying to imagine Eloise's response in my head. Unfortunately, she heard my soft voice and skipped over to me eagerly. I sighed. This was supposed to be a surprise.

"What design are you drawing?!" she asked excitedly.

"Nothing. I'm just practicing."

She scoffed. "You don't need practicing," she said, "Everyone knows that you have the best designs!"

"Not everyone," I replied, not wanting to say more. Talking wasn't something I did a lot anyway.

"Let me see!" she cried.

"No."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Please?"

"On your birthday. Promise."

Her shoulders slumped as she tried to peek into my notebook but I turned it away. She sighed.

"Do you even know how eager I am to see what you came up with?"

I nodded and said, "But wouldn't you want to get a surprise on your special day?"

My sister smiled at me on my words and then gave me a quick hug. I returned it, trying to make sure that she couldn't glimpse at my drawing at the same time.

"Now go along and play."

As she left, I picked up the pencil again. I had already drawn the design of the dress that I was going to make for Eloise on her birthday. It was an ankle length and really frilly dress, with layers of different shades and a couple of materials. The dress was slightly puffed up and I was just trying to figure out which sleeves should accompany it. Bishop sleeves seemed to be the best option with this particular design but what if she didn't like it? I thought about the puff sleeves next. As such I knew she liked those but that wouldn't go with the design. So…

Bishop sleeves were final.

Slowly, I started drawing them. I considered myself lucky to be in possession of this notebook, the many colours, and the cloth that I had. I would have to get a net cloth but I would do so. Every year, on my birthday, I was gifted these because my parents knew that I liked to make new dresses for Eloise. It was a passion of mine.

Working for long hours in the satin factory was hard. And then there were two days of school. Sundays could be free but since my parents worked so hard to earn money, I felt it was responsibility to help in the household chores. My mother's goal was to get the two of us past the Reaping age without taking tesserae. So when evening would come along, it would be a welcoming relief to get my notebook and start sketching my designs.

As the drawing came to a conclusion, I grinned. It was one of the rare occasions when I would grin stupidly rather than just a light smile. It was perfect! I was half-tempted to call Eloise and show it to her but then decided against it.

Sometimes, I wished I had friends with whom I could share all this. My sister was more than I could ask for but there were some things that I had to keep from her.

Maybe if I was more outgoing and actually tried to make friends, people might befriend me. I didn't like interacting much with other people, and I was too shy to actually go ahead and talk to them anyway. Even at home, I was not all that talkative. This was much easier. And safer. At least, there would be fewer attachments.

"Get ready!" Eloise said as she barged into my room again.

I let my face drop into my hands. Reapings! They were a pain, really. Why couldn't I just get a complete holiday?

"Yeah I will," I replied, standing up slowly. Running the comb through my vey brown and very straight hair, I looked for something to wear. I just had a simple blue dress with puffs that I usually wore to the Reapings. Putting it on, I tied my hair in a ponytail. I had dark eyes and a light tan. I was around five foot six and of average weight, for which I considered myself lucky. We had to work very hard, but at least we didn't have to starve. That was good enough for me.

"Looking pretty!" my sister exclaimed, looking at me.

"Thanks," I replied.

"I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about this design."

My cheeks turned red at that and I yanked the notebook from her hands.

"You shouldn't have done that," I grumbled.

"But I liked it," she replied, "Especially the sleeves."

I couldn't help but smile at that.

* * *

 **Burgundy Lumineer (17) D8M**

"Here Burgundy," the baker's girl said as she handed me the packet of bread.

"Thanks," I replied and smiled, but it was wiped out soon as I felt her hand brush on mine for a bit longer than I would like. I drew back my hand and she looked at me, perplexed.

"Do- don't touch me, okay?" I almost growled and ran out of the bakery before she could say anything. I had had enough of this. The way people looked at me, the way they held my hand for no reason… I was tired of it all. The looks of sympathy that I received was not what I wanted. And then there were people who thought I enjoyed all of that. How could they not understand that it wasn't my fault?

It was my friend Leila's birthday. The party was wild and I was too drunk. Too drunk. I regretted that forever after that though. Why was I so pathetic that I couldn't protect myself? I had no idea what I was doing, so when the much elder woman pulled me with her to a room, I didn't question her. I didn't even realise what was happening. Not when the door slammed, not when she pushed me down on the bed. Nothing at all.

It changed in the morning. I had thought I was home. My body was aching too much and so was my head due to the hangover. And then I saw that woman right next to me, all sober. and then it dawned on me what happened.

I honestly wanted to kill myself. The disgust that I felt in my own being was so overpowering. I just wanted to leave my body and run away but I couldn't get rid of it. But what was even worse was the way the Peacekeepers turned me away…

"Oh sorry!" I apologised as I just bumped into a really young child. She was not more than seven and I looked around for her parents.

"Hey, where is mummy?" I asked.

"I don't know," she replied slowly, "I runned away and now I am lost."

I chuckled slightly. "Child, it's ran away."

She looked so sad that I lifted her in my arms and pinched her cheek softly.

"Come on, I'll take you home."

"Really?!" she asked, her face a round, adorable ball of joy. I nodded.

"Of course I will! Can't have my beautiful princess getting lost in the streets, right?"

Giggling innocently, she wrapped her arms round my neck and told me where she lived. Her house was on my way, so chatting with her about dolls and her friends and everything, I was at her home in no time.

She gasped. "Thanks you!" she exclaimed, giving me a tight hug. I set her down and she ran into her house, yelling for her mummy. I smiled. Children were so innocent. I loved them. I just hoped none of them had to undergo what I had to.

As I continued to walk back home, I saw him. Marius. He was the Peacekeeper to whom I had reported about… the incident. Still couldn't forget his words. They were as fresh then as they ever had been.

"She assaulted you?" he had asked when I had approached him, "My boy, that doesn't happen to men. If it does happen with a man, it means that he wanted it! There is no case for this."

How easily he had said that? How could he not understand my plight? Just because I was a boy I was supposed to enjoy the fact that somebody violated me?! I could not believe his words then.

My good mood on helping the child was definitely destroyed by looking at this monster. Just as I was about to turn away he spotted me. With a smile on his face, he approached me.

"How are you, boy?" he asked, placing his hand on my shoulder. Maybe he thought I wouldn't sense his hand slowly tracing my collar bone, or maybe he was doing it on purpose just to make me feel miserable. I shook his hand away.

"I am fine," I replied and then walked past him. I would not let all this get to me. I could not let it happen.

I couldn't change the past but I could work for a better future. Only a few days after I was assaulted, I saw that some guy was about to do that with a really young girl. Managing to prevent it, I realised that I could not let this happen. I had to help those who were at risk or who had been violated. Just because nobody helped me when I needed it, didn't mean I wouldn't help others too.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realise that I was home.

"Hey!" Delilah said, taking the packet of bread from me, "You came quite late."

"I was dropping a kid home," I replied, "She was lost."

"You don't look very happy about helping someone."

"I ran into him."

My sister sighed. After I had saved that girl from being assaulted so long ago, I had decided to form an organisation to help the victims like myself. It was hard first, but the organisation had progressed a lot since then. My parents and Leila supported me in everything but Delilah did not understand. We tried hard to educate her how to defend herself in such a situation but she was just not interested. It didn't mean she agree with Marius' thoughts; my sister loved me too much to think so lowly of me.

"You need to forget him."

"I am trying. And it seems to be working."

Smiling at her, I hugged her lovingly. Whatever she did, she really did help me overcome my depression and my suicidal thoughts. I would always be grateful to her. To all of them.

"Go get ready," she said.

"I am always ready," I replied with a wink. She rolled her eyes at me.

"Look at your hair!"

I ran my hand through my dark brown hair, blinking my brown eyes. I was tan skinned and loved my complexion. Delilah laughed.

"Come along brother dear."

In no time, I was standing among the various nervous seventeen-year-old boys. I was nervous too, and my legs were shaking a little bit.

"It'll be okay. It'll be okay."

The escort was on the stage, and didn't look very eager. Too soon, he drew a name. too soon, he read it out.

"Cassidy Kelly!"

* * *

 **Cassidy Kelly (18) D8F**

"NO!" I screamed. How could they call me?! What had I ever done to deserve this?! No tesserae, nothing! I was about to die… Tears started trickling down my cheeks. I was on my knees, looking around for someone to help me.

"Please don't!" I cried, "Please!"

Die… Soon everything went black.

Someone was throwing water on my face. It was cold, too cold. The floor seemed to be made of…wood? It wasn't the Square. Where was I?

Opening my eyes, I saw the many children looking at me. The escort was staring at me in concern. I was on the stage.

 _I just made a fool of myself in front of so many people._

Seeing that I was conscious again, the escort picked the boy's name without giving me a second glance.

"Burgundy Lumineer!"

The camera focused on a rather cute seventeen-year-old boy. He looked so childish and yet there was a sadness in his eyes. He looked shocked for a second and then a sad smile appeared on his face. And then a larger, more genuine one as if he suddenly realised something. He started and almost ran up to the stage.

The escort did not offer him a chance to say anything. The boy smiled at me reassuringly and I tried to smile back but I was sure it looked more of a grimace.

"Your tributes, District Eight, Cassidy Kelly and Burgundy Lumineer!"

* * *

 **It was fun writing this. I got a little lazy by the end though.**

 **I apologise for the previous chapter. I know I didn't do well with them, especially Reynard, but I'll try to write them better in the future.**

 **Also, if you want to submit to a story, I'd recommend sending your dead tributes to IVolunteerAsAsuthor's story Ghost of Our Past.**

 **And now, thank you all so much for all your reviews. They mean a lot to me, although I don't say so much. Thank you all.**

 **Have a good day!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Reapings**

 **District Two**

* * *

 **Olympia Rush (17) D2F**

"Spirit!" I called out. She was hiding somewhere, I knew it, but I just didn't know where. Apparently, she was testing whether I could find opponents in the Games if they were hiding. We had trained together since we were young and sometimes our methods got a little… imaginative. Playing hide-and-seek was definitely one of them.

"Spirit!" I called out again. My house was small but she had still managed to conceal herself well. There had to be something…

Closing my eyes, I let other senses gain power over my sight. There was no sound I heard. Of course, Spirit was a very cautious person. As soon as I was about to give up, my nose picked on the smell of lavenders. Spirit's perfume.

Grinning to myself, I opened my eyes and looked in the direction of the smell. Slowly, I started moving towards the table, next to which there was a closet. On further inspection I saw that the closet was slightly ajar. I opened it, not really expecting to find Spirit there. And she wasn't. So, I sneaked up behind the closet where there was another small table and crouched under it was friend Spirit.

"I got you girl."

"Very well," she said, crawling out from under the table. Without a warning, her fist moved towards me at a really impressive pace. But that was expected. I ducked down and her fist missed my face by a centimetre. Swinging my leg, I hit her in the torso. Breath exploded out of her and I grabbed her arm and forced her down. She kicked me in the shin and then brought her elbow to my jaw. The salty and metallic taste of blood filled my mouth and I spit it out, simultaneously kneeing her in the gut.

It soon turned into a wrestling match.

Neither of us knew who was beating whom now, it was always this way. We'd start training and then suddenly the training would turn into a real fight.

"STOP IT GIRLS!"

Both of us stopped right where we were. It was a good thing that mom decided to interfere because this match wouldn't have ended otherwise. Spirit let out a light laugh, and I couldn't help but join in too.

"You have to volunteer today Olympia! Look at you; you're a mess!"

"I'll clean up mom," I replied, "Don't worry, I wouldn't volunteer without making sure that I look presentable."

Volunteering was not something that the Training Academy had told me to do. That was a place for rich children to go. I was from a lower working class family and each one of us had to work tirelessly to even feed ourselves. Spirit's position was almost the same and so we trained together. At work in the quarries, we used numerous pipes as swords. We raced each other home. We wrestled. We fought. We played. That's how both of us trained ourselves. Sure, we didn't have professional training but this was good enough. At least the two of us had enough muscle, enough strength and enough pride to manage well.

"I know," mom replied with a small smile on her face. She knew I could die and I knew it too. But I had to do it. I had a point to prove.

"Cheer up mom!" I said, "People will soon know you as the mother of a victor! That's an honour, right?"

"Yes it is. But I don't know whether I am ready to let you take such a big risk."

"Mrs. Rush," Spirit spoke up, "Both of us have trained very hard for this day. It's her turn to shine. Please don't worry, she'll win and then mentor me next year."

I smiled gratefully at her and then hugged my mom reassuringly, seeing that she did not really look convinced at Spirit's words.

"Just- just don't make May work, okay?" I requested.

May was my little sister, the sweetest girl in the world who deserved the best. Clavius, my brother, and I worked day and night to make sure that she didn't have to work to earn money. The thought of little May working in the quarry was an unbearable one. I just hoped that nobody would make her work in my absence.

"I won't," mom replied with a smile, "And now go and get ready you two."

With that she gave me a gentle shove and I went to the bathroom. There was no shower and there wasn't enough time for one anyway. Cleaning up the bruises and the dirt, I tied my blond hair in a bun. I had grey-green eyes, tanned skin and was quite muscular for a girl. I liked it.

Rummaging through my closet, I found a silver coloured dress falling to my knees. I didn't like dresses as such but with a sigh, I put it on. It didn't matter anyway. Volunteering was what mattered.

Glory and honour were definitely the reason for this decision. However, I just wanted to prove to the children from lower classes that with determination, they could also pursue their goals. It wasn't important for one to be from the Academy to volunteer. Even they could do so if they wanted to.

And I would do it. Nobody could stop me. Not the chosen volunteer. Not the Academy. Not even myself.

* * *

 **Amaranthine "Amaranth" Carteret (16) D2M**

Galatea leaned into my shoulder and smiled. Wrapping my arm around her, I returned it. She was a couple of years elder than me but had trained me during my time in the Academy. Now, she meant a lot to me. She was my best friend. And more.

The Academy was deserted then and I was glad about it. A bit of quiet wouldn't be bad. Not when Galatea was with me.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

I shut my eyes at that. The thought of volunteering made me nervous, very nervous. But I had trained for a decade. I couldn't let my nervousness get in the way.

"Yes, I am," I replied calmly. I usually talked in a calm way and people could not understand sometimes why it was so. I didn't blame them. Not everyone was similar, they had different perspectives. I was fine by it.

"You better be," she said sternly, "I have mentored you. You can't let me down."

Mentoring me was something for which I would be grateful to her always. Had she not been there I wouldn't have been able to do anything. Her presence made me feel strong. Safe. It brought down my nervousness. It felt good to be with someone close. Someone reliable.

Abruptly, she was on her feet. She raised her brow at me and I stood up. We walked to the exit of the academy where I held open the door for her.

"After you," I said with a smile and she returned it after which she walked out. I followed her out onto the street. The people looked quite excited today. Of course, they would be. We had a victor last year in Hermes Tyler.

"This year, it'll be you," Galatea said.

She towered over me. I was pretty short for a boy, only five feet four, and had a much feminine structure, petite and was on a smaller side on all aspects. But I had muscles too and with my hazel eyes and neat black hair, I might not be termed as handsome but definitely as cute in a childish way. It was good enough for me.

Walking back home, I saw that people were getting more excited by the second. Some people waved at me to which I replied with a polite smile. I saw a bunch of children running on the street in a much carefree fashion. They were laughing and talking aloud and it just made me wish that Galatea had not gone on her own way.

"She wouldn't be there with you in the Games," I said softly, looking down at the ground.

 _But her support will._

"Aahh!"

Looking up I saw one of the boys on the ground. It seemed as if he had hit his head. There was a gash on his forehead and blood was oozing out of it. It was not a pretty sight for me and I cringed. But I had to help him out…

Making my way hastily to him, I knelt beside him and grabbed his shoulders gently. He seemed to be in too much pain… And the blood. The _blood._

Forcing myself not to focus on the scarlet fluid, I tried for an easy smile.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"Y-yeah. Please. S-stop the blood…"

"Sure."

Tearing off a piece of my shirt, I wrapped it tightly on his forehead. His head was in my lap and I stroked his hair gently.

"I think you need rest. Perhaps I can help you with that? A long rest would be good, maybe?"

His eyes flew open and he stared at me in fear. Thrashing out of my grasp, he pulled himself to his feet and glared at me even as his friends came back looking for him.

"Are you- are you crazy?!" the boy yelled.

I tilted my head to the side and looked up at him in concern. I only wanted to put him out of his pain. Whether a wound was fatal or not, I just couldn't bear to see someone in physical pain. Putting them to eternal rest seemed to be a much kinder thing to do. I was not a fan of killing. I had blood phobia anyway.

"No," I said, "I'm sorry if my behaviour came out to be that way."

Looking fearfully at me, the boys all fled as soon as they could. I sighed.

People thought I was crazy because of this. They just didn't understand. I didn't want to kill them; death was my own worst fear. How could I do that to anyone else? But people just didn't understand. Not their fault though, I had been told my words could scare them.

I needed to change my shirt now. Nobody was home. Of course, my parents were both busy people. They were both involved in the military department and were rarely home. Putting on a navy blue shirt, I headed out. Today was the day to make everyone proud. My efforts would pay off. A decade of training would pay off.

The stroll to the Square was quite easy. Most of the streets were deserted now. I wondered who the female volunteer would be. There were quite a lot of worthy girls in the Academy but competition was tough because the Academy had been unable to choose the perfect volunteer.

I didn't want to get my finger pricked. It was painful. It drew blood. Closing my eyes tightly, I brought forward my finger. There was a sharp stinging in my finger. Slowly opening my eyes, I smiled at the Peacekeeper.

"Thank you," I said and then walked off to my section. The other boys were chatting eagerly among themselves. I saw Galatea among the elder girls and grinned at her. She waved back at me, mouthing the words 'good luck'.

"Hello District Two! Are you all excited to know who will represent you in the Seventy Ninth Annual Hunger Games?!"

"YES!"

It was a deafening sound. The crowd cheered and applauded and whistled. Our escort, Sheena, looked quite pleased with the response.

"Good to know that. And without further ado, let's choose our female tribute!"

The cheers were still loud when she got back to the podium. Flashing a smile at the camera, Sheena read out the name 'Athena Reiss'.

Numerous number of 'I volunteer as tribute!' rang out in the air and I saw seven girls rush towards the stage. They pushed, elbowed and even tripped each other. But then I saw a really pretty girl, who was definitely not from the Academy, run onto the stage in a rather subtle manner. Impressive.

"Wow! A volunteer! What's your name dear?"

The girl held the microphone tightly and said, "I, Olympia Rush, will bring honour and glory to District Two, which it rightfully deserves. I have worked hard to earn this day, and anyone who wishes to gain victory should do as I have; work and believe."

I clapped politely. There was a spark in her and what she said was quite true and beautiful. Just like her.

"And now, for the males! Dallas Pantheons!"

* * *

 **Olympia Rush (17) D2F**

"I volunteer as tribute."

The voice was extraordinarily calm and somewhat… sedating. There was something about it that was unnerving and yet extremely soothing at the same time. The boy had not yelled out; he had merely spoken.

I saw a rather short yet cute boy walking out of the sixteen-year-old section with confidence. His eyes had a determination yet a nervousness. I knew he would make a good ally.

"Your name, young man?"

"Amaranthine Carteret," he replied in that calm voice of his.

We shook hands and he smiled very politely me. His etiquettes were too polished. The way he shook my hand, the way he smiled. It was quite charming though…

"District Two, your tributes, Olympia Rush and Amaranthine Carteret!"

* * *

 **I am tired right now so I'll keep it short. Who did you like better? Who is your favourite till now? Any predictions?**

 **Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Have a great day!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Reapings**

 **District Nine**

* * *

 **Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F**

"Stop it dad," I said.

With a sigh, dad kept the bottle of alcohol back on the table and stared at me through bloodshot eyes. I flinched but then cleared my throat. It was sad that whenever dad and I interacted, it was always about me trying to stop him from drinking. Mom tried too and now dad was really improving. At least he was willing to try.

"Today are the Reapings," he muttered softly, as if unable to actually understand what he was saying. It was a rather improper way of speaking, and I didn't like that, but I couldn't really say anything to dad about it.

"I know," I replied, "And I must get there on time. So should everyone."

Both he and dad worked in the processing plant. When I was seven, dad stole a bottle of beer from the wheat factory to party at a co-worker's place. He was hooked. He was addicted. Now he was an alcoholic and although mom tried really hard to hide the bottles from him, he always found them. It was funny actually. But now dad was trying. That was good.

Taking the bottle from the table, I walked out of the room.

"No wait Aly!" dad cried, "I need to take a swig."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on girl! I'm your father! Obey me. Give it here!"

"Mom, dad wants to-!"

"Shhh!" dad said, shaking his head violently, "Don't tell her. She'll find a different place to hide the bottles and-"

"And you won't get to have it," I supplied.

"No! It'll be hard work to find it."

"I won't give this to you," I said firmly.

"Aly-"

"Mom!"

"Okay! Okay!" dad said angrily, "Just get out now!"

He was not really abusive and I knew he yelled at me only because he was annoyed. Why wouldn't he be? I was trying to keep him from his addiction. While I completely understood his need for alcohol, I also understood that it wasn't good for him. Smiling slyly at him, I walked away and into the kitchen where Sorghum was.

"Your argument was fun to listen to," he commented, not looking up from the tea he was making. I chuckled.

"Well yeah," I replied, "I guess I have figured out dad's weakness."

Sorghum grinned at me as he poured out a cup of tea for me. He took a sip and then spewed it all out.

"Dammit! I put in salt instead of sugar!"

"Use proper language, Sorghum," I replied, setting the cup back on the table.

He rolled his eyes at me. "Stop being so proper," he grumbled, "And just act your age for once."

"I do act my age, brother. Cursing just doesn't seem to be the thing that people my age should do. It leaves a bad impression."

My brother sighed at that. I smiled at him lightly then glanced at my watch. It had been tough to get it to be honest and I had to work really hard. I valued it a lot.

"I have forty minutes before I leave for the Reapings," I said, "So maybe you can make another cup of tea for me?"

Sorghum sighed as his shoulders slumped and dragged himself to the stove. That's when Azalea's voice brought my attention to it. I stood up with a grin and ran towards the doorway when Azzy and Saffra came in.

"Aly!" Azzy squealed and then hugged me, which I returned. She was a year elder to me but we were almost inseparable. Saffra, meanwhile, crept up on Sorghum.

"I want tea too…" he whispered sneakily in his ear.

"Ah!" Sorghum cried out, startled and on finding who it was, a frown crept up on his face.

"Seriously, who does that?" he asked.

"Saffra does," I replied as the boy came running over to us, laughing at my brother's reaction. He was the most immature of my friends and maybe that's why I loved him so much. Sometimes it was good to be with someone who was not like you.

"Who do you think will be Reaped?" Azzy asked.

"It could be anyone," I replied, "Someone unknown. You. Me. Anyone."

"That's not the most encouraging thing to say," Sorghum muttered as he set the tea cups on the table.

"But it's the truth," I replied sadly. Whoever it would be, they would certainly not deserve this.

What would I do if I were chosen? I didn't look all that good but not too bad either. Unconsciously running my hand through my straight, blond hair, I stared into the teacup. Anyway, maybe my looks could get me sponsors? My brother had green-grey eyes like me and we were both skinny and light. He was considered to be good-looking. So maybe I was too?

"Thanks for the tea," I said as I finished it. Unlike Sorghum himself, who was just moving the cup in circles.

"What's wrong?" Azzy and I asked him together.

"Guys, I just hope it's not one of us," he replied, "It'll be a _ bad day if it does."

"Don't worry, it'll be none of us," Saffra muttered reassuringly.

Frowning, I stood up to get ready. Fifteen minutes to get ready and get to the Square. Good enough.

"You're leaving so soon?" he asked.

"Yeah. I don't like being late."

Azzy rolled her eyes at that and the other too just looked at each other. I nodded at them and then went to my room. I couldn't be late.

* * *

 **Mateo Dorsani (15) D9M**

"I'll be back in an hour, Miles," I said.

My brother didn't respond; instead he kept staring at the television. There was nothing even mildly interesting going on. It was a cooking show and everyone at home knew that Miles couldn't cook. No, he never paid attention to anyone or anything. He never noticed whether anyone was home or not. And I was okay with that.

My house was on the outskirts of the main town, the tall fields standing as barricades in between. Life was boring for me. I was lucky to have a middle class family, because most people couldn't even afford a proper house, but still, I could do with some recreation every now and then. Which was definitely not available to me.

I saw a group of boys walking towards the fields at a distance. Laughing and talking. One of them made a joke that made the others laugh. Friends… I scoffed. Nobody in the world was anyone's friend. And especially not in this District.

Walking on the dirt track, the past memories came flooding back to me. When I was young, my parents were never home. My brother didn't care so I used to sneak out of the house to make friends. Making my way through all the fields I would go to the main town where I met a bunch of children. They were incredibly sweet to me but had to work. Little did I know that they were using me to do all their work and never really cared for me. And I thought that they were my 'friends'.

Then I grew up a bit and started visiting the town more often. Roaming around alone, a boy of merely ten, I met a couple of boys who were stubborn and who were always being yelled at by their parents to go do some work. They didn't sweet-talk me into doing their work, they got straight to the point. They called it a game. And like the naïve kid I was, I believed them and did all their chores without questioning it.

But for how long could I continue that? In the end I asked them why I had to do all this work. They never helped me, or fed me or even offered me water. things turned very ugly when I questioned them and I still remembered the beating I had received that day. Two bruised eyes, a swollen lip and a couple of broken bones. I couldn't forget it.

They were scolded and my parents met their parents and asked for a severe punishment. I was asked to forgive and forget about it all but how could I? that incident opened my eyes after all. I took my revenge on each one of them. Attacked them individually, and threatened them that if they would tell anyone, something worse could happen to them too. And I meant it.

From then on, trusting people was not in my nature. And I was right to think that way.

One of the boys pushed me slightly. Accidentally of course. But I didn't really like it.

"Watch where you're going!" I said angrily.

"Sorry," the boy said, raising his hand slightly. Shaking my head, I walked past them. I couldn't really be bothered with everyone.

Soon I was standing right in front of the endless fields. Every day I would come here, only to relive the past memories. It would remind me that friends weren't to be trusted. That there were no such things as friends to begin with. That the world was a cruel place.

Many people just walked past me until one girl asked me, "Excuse me, can you tell me where Mr Harp lives?"

Smiling at her, I replied, "Just down this street. Go right at the first turn and you'll find his house."

"Thank you."

"You're most welcome."

She smiled at me and then walked on the path that I had told her to go. Looking back at my wrist watch, I thought it was time to go.

"Hey listen!" one of the neighbourhood boys came running over to me.

"Yeah?"

"Can you lend me some money? I need to buy grocery and I forgot to bring my money."

Of course I could lend it to him.

"Uh sorry Ken, but I don't have anything with me right now."

Just because I could didn't mean I would.

"Just please check Mateo?" he asked in an almost pleading way. I felt very bad lying to him; he really needed that money and I knew he would have to go back home to get it if I didn't lend him some bucks. But what if didn't return it? I couldn't take that risk.

"Sorry mate, I don't have anything."

"Well, it's alright," he said with a sad smile and started on his way back home. I sighed. It was always very sad to turn someone away when they needed help but it was necessary. I almost called him back but then closed my mouth. No…

"It's almost an hour now," I said softly, "Maybe I should go home."

But really, it wasn't necessary. Miles wouldn't notice anyway and mum and dad weren't home. As usual.

And why should I dress up for the Reapings? It was a horrible thing anyway. I wouldn't be Reaped though, or that's what I thought. But with my luck everything was possible.

Running my hand through my brown hair, I made sure that they remained neat and tidy and didn't block my vision. They went well with my chocolaty brown eyes, and high cheekbones that everyone in my family had. However, my shaggy eyebrows didn't let me create the impression that I wanted to. It was annoying, along with my average stature of five foot eight. I was dressed in a black shirt and pants and they looked good on me. I was right, why should I bother to go home and change?

Walking through the fields could get tedious but the Reapings would be held in the Square which was in the main town. I just hoped Miles would notice the time and come here too or else he'd be in trouble. But he would, he'd never missed a Reaping.

And sure enough, when I reached the Square he was there.

"How did you get here so fast?" I asked him as I joined the line to get my finger pricked.

"You're here too?" he sounded mildly surprised. Rolling my eyes, I shut my mouth and let him proceed. When it was my turn I brought my finger forward and the Peacekeeper pricked it. I shut my eyes as the metal pierced my skin. It actually hurt.

"Good luck Mateo," Miles said. I nodded at him and went to join the other boys of fifteen. There was a lot of talking there, but also a deadly atmosphere. It was natural of course.

"District Nine, it's a pleasure to be here!" Lavender said. Just like her name she was… lavender. None of us clapped, or even said anything. She flashed us somewhat of an angry look and then we clapped politely.

"And now we shall choose the girl!"

Poor kid. I just hoped it wasn't someone young.

"Alessandra Farro!"

The cameras found a girl of thirteen, crying miserably on the spot. The Peacekeepers waited for a moment for her to stop and just when they were about to get her, she stopped rather abruptly. Wiping her tears away, she started walking towards the stage with confidence. What was with this girl?

Alessandra politely declined the offer to say anything and flashed a smile at Lavender, which th escort seemed to love a lot.

"And now our lucky boy is Mateo Dorsani!"

* * *

 **Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F**

I wanted to cry. To howl and shriek and yell and curse. But I couldn't. I wouldn't. It wouldn't be proper, especially not on national television. So I had to pretend that I was confident but realistically speaking, what chance did a thirteen year old girl from Nine have?

"Mateo Dorsani!"

The said boy, being only fifteen, was definitely scared. He had turned pale and just stood there in shock. Then suddenly realising that the cameras were pointed at him, his expression turned very calm and he started ambling towards the stage. Flashing cheeky smiles at everyone, he was soon standing beside me.

"Do you want to say something, dear?"

Taking the microphone, he said, "I'll try my best, my friends. Don't give up on me."

Lavender clapped him on the back and I stared at him. He must be scared; he just wasn't showing it. He smiled at me in a reassuring manner and I smiled back. This would be interesting.

His grip was strong; something I realised when we shook hands. Strong grip meant confidence.

"Give it up for your tributes! Alessandra Farro and Mateo Dorsani!"

The people clapped slightly but very sadly. I could feel the reason of their sadness.

I would try my best. I was pretty sure Mateo would try his best. But would our best be the best?

District Nine never really had any scope…

* * *

 **Hello everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. What are your thoughts on Mateo and Aly? Who do you think has a better chance at this thing?**

 **Have a great day and thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Reapings**

 **District Eleven**

* * *

 **Aspen Rust (17) D11F**

Lee wouldn't know what hit him. As I awaited the moment when I could implement on my plan, I couldn't help but giggle a bit. I could already imagine his expression, the one of utter fury and amusement.

He rounded the corner and I turned around to conceal my face.

"Aspen, I've been looking for you!" my brother said, spotting me finally.

I didn't respond but I was itching to. It would be so much fun. But I couldn't. Not then.

"Aspen…?" Lee's voice had faltered. I could vividly imagine the expression on his face, his features creased with worry.

I started trembling violently. "ASPEN!" he cried out in worry and ran over to me, grabbing my shoulders and turning me around.

"AAHH!" he screamed and jumped back in fright, his eyes as wide as his mouth as he stared at me up and down. And just as I had imagined, the expression changed from fear to fury and a very reluctant amusement.

Staring at a person, your sister at that, whose face is covered in mud with twigs sticking out, and her medium brown hair covered in leaves from the front could terrify a brother. His hazel green eyes, that so matched my own, held a twinkle even though his face was red.

"I can't believe you fell for it. _Again!_ " I laughed but then quickly stopped and closed my mouth, embarrassment overcoming me.

"And why aren't you laughing now?" he asked in mock fury.

Shaking my head, I smiled at him, taking care that my teeth didn't show. Lee sighed and then approached me. Attempting to wipe the mud off my face, he got it all over his shirt but it didn't seem to bother him.

"Show me your smile," he said.

I shook my head.

"A grin? Come on!"

And with that he tickled me so hard that I burst out laughing.

"S-stop! Stop i-it!"

"My little girl looks so beautiful when smiling," he said as he stopped.

"Only you think so," I replied.

It was true. I had prominent buck-teeth, and I didn't like them. Sometimes people teased me when I was younger but they had become more considerate later on. However, I still didn't like revealing my teeth all that much. But Lee didn't mind. He was the best brother, friend and rival in the world and I just loved him so much.

"Let's go home," he said.

"I'll race you there," I challenged.

With a roll of his eyes he shrugged. "Okay, sure. You're going to lose anyway."

Flipping my hair, I winked at him. "Let's see."

The two of stood side by side and then he said, "Get set go!"

"Who says that so quickly?" I asked, "There should be a pause after 'get' and 'set' and the 'go' should be long."

"Shut up," he muttered and repeated, this time following my instructions.

We set off.

Sadly, he overtook me very soon and left me behind. "No!" I cried out and then forced myself to run fast and almost caught up to him. I refused to lose. That was just unacceptable.

My legs were aching but I forced myself forward and overtook Lee just as we reached home. I had to win the race anyhow. Ultimately, I threw myself forward so that for a few seconds I was flying and then landed right in front of the main door. Lee came running exactly four seconds later.

"Y-you l-l-lost," I panted, gasping for breath.

"Uh no," he replied, "Getting home first would mean entering the house first."

He opened the door and stepped inside.

"And as you can see, I did it before you."

And with that and a little grin he shut the door. And I just stared.

"I can't lose!" I cried and then ran inside. Lee laughed and I joined him when I saw dad approaching us. Seeing him, the two of us went silent abruptly.

"You two are making so much noise," he said irritably, "And what is this Aspen? Where did you get all that mud from?"

I lowered my eyes and Lee spoke up, "She fell down."

Dad glared at us and then walked past me, his shoulder brushing against me. Lee turned to look at me and then smiled lightly.

"Hey don't worry. Let's get you cleaned."

My mom had left when we were young and the two of us were raised by dad. Lately, he had been ignoring us, except when he had to tell us off, and we certainly didn't like it. Lee and I were always competing to get his attention but neither was really successful. We worked in the fields and tried our best to earn as much as we could to impress dad but it didn't work.

Splashing the cold water on my muddy face, I felt a bit refreshed. Hot water was something we couldn't afford but cold water was also good. After being cleaned up, I went to my closet and pulled out a dark brown knee-length dress. It had been my Reaping dress since a few years and I was very fond of it.

"Lee!" I called out.

"Coming."

As my brother walked over to the door, I linked my arm into his and the two of us walked out. I only hoped that neither of us would be Reaped. That would be terrible and I knew that neither of us could live without the other. We were more than the ordinary siblings; we loved each other more than anything or anyone else in the world.

I just hoped we could always live together.

* * *

 **Fynn King (17) D11M**

Jealous.

That's what dad felt. My cousin won the Games when I was young. Comforts, luxuries, fame, respect, they all accompanied his marvellous victory. Apparently, my uncle became a little too proud and it didn't go well with dad so he tried to make me prepared to volunteer.

My story was strange for someone from Eleven, and I knew it. Well, I was glad about it. Being different only highlighted that I could in fact win it all. And anyway, to escape a father like mine, it was not a very big price.

"Fynn, you're ready?" mom asked. She had supported dad and my decision in a way that scared me.

"Of course," I replied smoothly.

And I was. The family had worked so hard to provide for my training. Hand-to-hand combat, and as much weapon training as could be available. We weren't very well off. But it didn't matter.

The weather was too sunny for my liking. There were small birds flying high above everyone in circles. How dare they fly above me! I walked out of the house and stared at them again. Picking up a stone, I hurled it at them. The stone hit one of the birds and with a cry of pain it started falling towards the earth.

I smiled as the injured bird landed right at my feet.

Picking it up, I examined it as it squirmed in my grasp in vain. The wing was cut and the little thing was bathed in blood. With a satisfied smile, I flung it on the ground and crushed it under my foot. The bird stopped moving and I lifted my foot off it. that was how I was going to crush the tributes in the arena.

"Stop showing how mighty you are. Killing a poor bird isn't the same as killing a person. Anyone can kill a lowly creature like that."

With a dramatic sigh, I turned to face mom, who was wearing a rather sober expression.

"Can't a boy have fun?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Have fun in the arena."

Shaking my head, I kicked the dead bird away and stormed into the cramped house.

I was a sadist, to say the least. After watching so many past Games, the brutal murders and the foolish friendships, I was convinced that being sadist wasn't particularly wrong. The Careers were usually blood-thirsty jerks and they usually won.

"What are you still doing here boy?!"

Groaning internally, I turned to face my dad. His eyes were bloodshot and his face had the same angry expression that he usually had when he was drunk.

"There's still time," I muttered.

In an abrupt motion, his hand struck me so hard that I fell on my back. Holding my smarting cheek, I got to my feet and glared at him.

"Don't you dare look at me like that."

I wanted to shove a knife down his throat in all honesty. However, that had to wait, despite the temptation. I just went into my room and slammed the door shut in his face. If I won, then I would not let them live with me in the Victor's Village. No, I would disown them. Especially dad. He was always mistreating me and I didn't like it.

With a sigh, I approached the very old mirror in my room. Tanned complexion, very dark brown eyes, chiselled features. I smiled at my reflection. Unlike most people in my district, I wasn't exactly dark skinned but it didn't bother me.

"Fynn! Get here quick! You're getting late!"

"Maybe if you stop yelling so much," I muttered, "Your voice is annoying."

Taking my time, I lazily pulled out a black tuxedo. Although we weren't rich, I had it stitched just for the occasion. Putting it on, I admired myself once more in the mirror and then headed out.

"Let's go b-"

Before dad could complete the sentence, I had shut the door behind me and started the tedious journey to the Square along the must dusty road. I was slightly worried about my clothes but nothing too much. After all, the cameras would want to capture my handsome face. A volunteer from Eleven. It was quite unheard of recently.

The queue was not too long but I didn't want to wait. Pushing my way through the line, muttering apologies, I went in front and got my finger pricked, even as the worthless people behind muttered obscenities for me. I would see to them later, after returning as a victor.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's an honour to be here!"

That was a lie.

"District Eleven is one of the best Districts in Panem, with some of the loveliest people and tributes around."

Another lie. It had been more than a decade since any of our tributes had even been in top eight.

"Without further ado, let's choose our female tribute. Are you ready?!"

No reply. The people here were a miserable crowd. That's why we were all so poor. Had they been smarter, we would have been rich and respected like the Career Districts.

"It is-" the escort, looking at the crowd with a childish enthusiasm, "Aspen Rust!"

For a while there was no movement anywhere. Then all of a sudden, a figure was seen moving away from the Square. There was a cry, the Peacekeepers caught her even as she ran as if her life depended on it, and they started dragging her weeping self to the stage. However, soon she was walking towards the stage herself and when asked to address the crowd, she just gave them a shaky thumbs-up and winked. Interesting, but she wouldn't last long. I knew it.

"And now for the gentleman who'll represent us," the escort said, "Cherry Steele."

"I volunteer as tribute!"

* * *

 **Aspen Rust (17) D11F**

I was still very shaken up when I caught Lee's eye. He looked as if he would faint on the spot. As the male name was called out, I saw him open his mouth. Horrified, I was about to yell at him to not do so when I heard another boy say 'I volunteer as tribute!'

To say that I was shocked would be an understatement. I just couldn't understand what was happening. A tall, handsome boy from among the seventeen-year-olds mounted the stage, trying to appear calm but he gave me psychotic vibes. He scared me.

"A volunteer! How amazing! What's your name, dear?!"

"Fynn King," he replied, "And District Eleven, you'll soon have a victor amongst you."

"That's confidence! I'm sure you'll do brilliant!"

Fyn smiled at the crowd and I frowned, my tears already dried up. This was not good.

As he shook my hand, a very strange smile crept onto his lips. I smiled at him shakily, but I could already tell that I didn't want anything to do with him.

The applause was mild. Sad. But maybe people were hopeful, because at least they had clapped and cheered us. Or just Fynn.

Maybe he could be the victor Eleven had been waiting for…

* * *

 **Before anything else, I want to say that these tributes weren't really submitted to Eleven. So yes, that's it.**

 **I am personally not very pleased with this chapter, maybe because it was written at around midnight. So, who do you like better? Fynn or Aspen? Who do you think will do better?**

 **Thank you for all your kind reviews. They really encourage me to get the updates out. I hope you enjoyed this.**

 **Have a good day!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Reapings**

 **District Six**

* * *

 **Aileen Romeri (18) D6F**

"Hey calm down."

"I can't calm down," I snapped at Eris. He sighed and I let out an exasperated breath. Recently I had been taking all my anger on him. He gave me a tight hug and I started to relax in his embrace, even though my mother's words echoed in my head so clearly.

"Come on Aileen," he said, "It's been happening since years. There's nothing we can do about it."

"I still don't understand why she blames me Eris. In fact, she sounds so certain that I have started suspecting myself."

"Don't think that way. You did nothing."

"I loved them! I admit I was a bit jealous but I still loved them. I was five! Five!"

"I know dear."

Releasing myself from his grip, I reached for the bottle of alcohol to take a swig but he knocked it out of my hand.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he said, shaking my shoulders hard.

"Don't try to act like mother," I replied softly, "This is needed."

"Stop it Aileen."

Eris forcefully shoved me into a chair and knelt down in front of me. Taking my hand, he squeezed it gently and I smiled at him.

"You always care for me so much."

"Of course. You're my best friend. Mother should realise now that you weren't the culprit. She is being too hard on you."

Eris was born my father and another woman and then my father married mother. She hated Eris and when I was born she wasn't too nice to me. I got along well with Eris when we were children and mother didn't seem to like it but she wasn't very vocal about it at the time. Then I turned four, and my parents were blessed with twins. They brought so much joy to the household, the perfect twins for a perfect couple. Mother started neglecting me, because she didn't like me all that much and the twins were much more loved. I didn't hate them either and I tried my best to look after them and cared for them. Sure, I was a little jealous of the attention they received but it wasn't that bad.

And then they turned one when everything changed.

Both of them died due to pneumonia. There was an unspeakable gloom in the house and then suddenly mother had a new idea. I was jealous of the twins, I was friends with Eris, maybe I had killed the twins.

She blamed me, beat me up, yelled at me, cursed me and I didn't even get what was happening. I was myself too shocked and unable to understand why my sisters weren't moving. I cried and pleaded and asked what was happening but they didn't answer me with anything other than accuses.

It had been continuing ever since. And now, listening to the certainty in her voice, a part of me wondered whether it had been me who killed my sisters. It was a horrible thought and one that I needed to drive away but it was just so overpowering…

During all that, Eris had been with me. When I had cut myself on my fifteenth birthday, he had saved my life. He supported me, and many times had taken abuse for me. Mother hated both of us and she hated our relationship. I didn't see Eris as my brother; I loved him and he reciprocated the feeling. Nobody liked it but that couldn't be helped. We weren't there to please people.

And that was when mother walked into the room.

"Why is there alcohol in my living room?" she demanded.

Brushing Eris' hand off mine, I took another swig of the said liquid, its warmth calming me down.

"This is who I am, mother dearest. I think I should thank you for that."

"You insolent ba-"

I ran out of the house before she could complete her sentence, Eris following in tow. I tried so hard that she would love me but no. Just no. It wasn't worth it, worth any of it. I wanted to scream so hard right now, even as Eris grabbed my hand and pulled me back. He brushed my dark brown hair out of my face and looked into my eyes, which were as blue as his. It seemed strange that, as a child he used to tower over me, but now we were both almost equally tall.

"Don't worry, she's just-"

"Don't try to justify her," I said sadly, "It doesn't matter. I will volunteer."

"YOU WILL NOT DO THAT!"

"I'm tired of this nonsense, Eris. I really am."

Despite his many pleads and requests, I stood by my decision. Because I really was tired of all of this. And staying quiet and bearing it all was certainly not worth it.

* * *

 **Oren Harper (16) D6M**

"Hover, have you seen my jacket?"

"I am not your secretary," my friend muttered.

"Well yes, you aren't," I replied, rummaging through the larder for my jacket. Sure, jackets and food weren't supposed to be together but seeing that it was mine, it could be anywhere.

"By the way," I continued, "There is dirt on your nose."

"Not fair! I don't point out your faults!"

"Fine. Just go out in public with that dirty nose, and when everyone will boo at you don't come running to me."

"I fight the bullies at school," he argued back.

"Yes, but I invoke them. If I don't do that, who will you fight?"

"That's not a valid point!"

"That is pretty much a valid point. And now, stop being a lazy git and help me find my jacket."

"What if I don't?"

"Well then, you don't. I'll tell your mum that you didn't complete your homework and were yelled at for it."

"That's unfair!"

"I know," I replied, resuming my search for my blue jacket, when suddenly something hit me on my back. I looked down to see my blue, weirdly shaped ball made of what was my jacket. Picking it up I tried to straighten it but the creases remained.

Hover laughed.

"Well there Oren, I helped you out."

Glaring at him for a few seconds, I joined him in laughing too. That's why we were best friends. We picked on each other, I bossed him around and he made everything difficult for me but we loved that. We fought and argued and then laughed at our own stupidity and how fun it would be.

Making a ball of the jacket, I hurled it at him and it hot him square in the face. Looking at me with disdain he threw it back and I dodged and then it soon turned into a game. Hardly ten minutes had passed when the jacket was quite unrecognisable. Covered in dirt, crumpled like a useless piece of paper and being tossed around like a ball, it hardly looked like my favourite piece of clothing.

"Wow…"

I looked at mum, startled, and the ball hit me on the ear. I scratched the back of my head sheepishly and Hover lowered his gaze too.

"Uh, hi mum," I said.

Mum crossed her arms across her chest and raised her brow at me, making me gulp. Then she laughed out.

"When will you two grow up?!" she said and then grinned at us.

"Oh, so you're not angry?!"

"Well, obviously I am, seeing that I will have to clean that jacket, and it will take some effort."

"Sorry Mrs. Harper," Hover apologised.

"Children, it doesn't matter. This is your age to play and have lots of fun! A dirty jacket means nothing."

I grinned toothily at mum, my slightly crooked teeth showing. We looked quite alike, with the brown hair and blue eyes that were slanted. My one eye was slightly more slanted than the other though and we both had a big nose. The only thing different was our heights. I was five foot seven; she was slightly shorter.

"Let's listen to some music while your mum gets us some snacks," Hover said.

"Yeah, I love looking at colours."

"I know."

There was a very old record-player with an equally old tape. It was always set and I played it. instantly, the air was filled with the beautiful, mesmerising sound of a flute. Royal blue shades appeared in the room and turned into figures, dancing on the slow music.

"Which colour do you see?" Hover asked.

"Royal blue. There are figures that just sprang to life and they are dancing. They are dancing in a rather beautiful manner."

"You know what? I wish that I could see colour like you too," he remarked.

"Yeah, it's fun. Although it does make me different…"

"There's nothing wrong with being different."

"I know."

The thing was, I was diagnosed with synaesthesia. When I heard music, I could see colours. Different colours for different instruments. Flutes showed me either royal blue or sky blue. Trumpets showed me golden hues.

When I was young, I thought that everybody could see colours on hearing music and so I kept silent. Then, when I was in fourth grade, I was called to the board to compose a short melody. Melody equalled colours in my view, so picking up the coloured chalks, I started drawing until the teacher yelled at me for wasting her good chalk. And I was so confused. Then she told my parents about it, who took me to a doctor and I was diagnosed with synaesthesia.

One would think that it would be a big problem if one could see colours but really, it wasn't. it was in fact beautiful ad I considered myself lucky to be able to see such beautiful things. It brought me joy and I really had nothing to complain about.

"Here children, have some cookies!" mum said as she brought in the tray. Both Hover and I leapt at it and within minutes, it was all gone. Mum laughed.

"You two know how to eat," she said fondly, "I wish Finnley did too."

My sister, Finnley, was too quiet and shy. We didn't talk all that much but it didn't mean we hated each other. She was just too shy and reserved even among family members.

"Yeah, I wish so too."

"Come on Oren, put on this green jacket instead," mum said as she handed it to me. Putting it on, I ran my fingers through my hair. Yeah, I was ready.

"Okay mum, see you later!"

"Oren-"

Before she could say anything, the two of us were out of the house. We jogged over to the Square. All around us, the atmosphere was one of gloom but I was not too worried. I was certain it wouldn't be me. How could it be?

We broke all the lines and got our fingers pricked first, shouting our apologies, and then ran over to the sixteen-year-old section. It was a while before Lance showed up.

"Hello District Six!" he called out and was met with a mild applause.

"Today, as you know, two of you will represent your district in the annual hunger games. Whatever happens, please know that will remember you for your bravery and we'll be proud of you. And now, let's choose our female representative."

No playing around with the chits. Nothing.

"Amanda Chase."

"I volunteer as tribute."

A very strong voice rang out. It seemed as if the very air had gasped in shock. A volunteer? From Six? How was that even possible? Was she mad?!

Dark brown hair, tall frame and a determination to rival everyone and everything. There was huge smirk on her pretty face and when she mounted the stage, she flipped her hair and winked at the crowd.

"Wonderful," Lance said, as if it was not wonderful at all, "What will your name be, young lady?"

"Aileen. Aileen Romeri," she replied, her held high.

"Beautiful name. and now, for the boys."

Lance pulled out a chip. He unfolded it and suddenly I felt my heart beating too fast. Why? It couldn't be me…

"Oren Harper."

* * *

 **Aileen Romeri (18) D6F**

The crowd seemed to be stunned by my decision but I regretted nothing. No, I could do it. I had it in me. I would win and Eris and I would never have to tolerate such abuse again. I would make sure of it.

"Oren Harper."

I scanned the crowds for the Reaped boy and found him almost in the front. The boy was on the ground, crying almost hysterically.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to… This can't happen. It's a dream."

With that he pinched himself but the poor boy soon realised that it was not a dream. Wiping his tears, he started towards the stage shakily, with very slow steps. When he was on the stage, he refused to say anything.

It might make me sound cruel, but I was glad that he was not very strong, and that he was young. I didn't want too many strong tributes and although he seemed like a good boy, being weak would enable me to kill him without much problems if it came to that.

His grasp was weak as we shook hands and in the end he was sobbing again although he was trying not to. I didn't offer him any encouragement or reassurance because we both knew that only one could come out alive. And I'd rather it be me.

"Give it up for Aileen Romeri and Oren Harper!"

* * *

 **A lot of things had to be changed about Aileen but I hope it wasn't that bad. Only one more to go now!**

 **Anyway, who did you prefer? Why? Who do you think will make it further?**

 **Have a good day!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Reapings**

 **District Three**

* * *

 **Quinoa Callus (13) D3F**

"Lily! You can't catch me!" I cried between fits of laughter.

My chocolate coloured Labrador barked playfully at me and chased after me around the house. Taking a leap, I landed on top of the centre table and Lily snapped at my ankle playfully.

"Ah Lily, you can't catch me here!"

"Of course I can," my dog replied in her very deep, dog-like voice.

She jumped and was on the table too in no time, with a very doggish grin on her face. I giggled.

"I let you catch me!"

"Nah."

And with that Lily barked aloud and then howled as I hugged her, wrapping my thin arms around her neck. She began licking my face and it was really very tickly.

"Stop Lily! You're tickling me!"

"Well, that was the idea."

Lily was special in this aspect. She could speak while most other dogs could only bark. I told mummy that Lily was special but she always became very sad and gloomy at Lily's mention. I didn't know why and when I had asked her about it, she said, "Why did this happen?"

I could never understand what she meant and why dad looked at me so sadly. I had heard mummy's sobs late at night on multiple occasions. She used to talk about some schizophrenic person, and I honestly felt bad for the said person. Imagine hallucinating about something all the time. And the imaginary friend or foe wouldn't even be as cool as Lily.

"Hey, earth to Quinoa!" Lily exclaimed as she licked my face again.

"Oh sorry Lily," I said, "I was just thinking about mummy."

"What about her?"

"She cries at night, Lily. And then she talks to dad about some schizophrenic person."

"That's sad. Maybe you can talk to your mum? Tell her everything will be okay."

"That's a very good idea," I said, "Come Lily, let's meet mummy!"

She barked in reply and the two of jumped off the table together, competing against each other to get to mummy's room. As usual, I won. Grinning at Lily, I went inside, and she followed.

Mummy was making the bed when we entered. On hearing my footfalls, she turned around and saw me.

"Ah Quinoa," she said warmly, pulling me in for a hug, "Is there something you want, dear?"

"Yes," I replied and then looked at Lily for approval. On her nod, I continued, "Mummy, I know you are worried. I have heard you talk to daddy about a person who has schizophrenia and how much you want to help them. I just want to tell you that it will be okay. Lily and I both agree with it, and think that you shouldn't be so stressed out. "

On hearing that, tears welled up in her eyes and she pulled me closer, giving me a tight hug.

"If you knew…"

"If only I knew what?" I asked.

"Nothing dear. Nothing at all."

I was about to ask her again when Lily barked at me, wagging her tail. She didn't want me to pester mummy, and she was right. Lily was always right. She had been with me since I was four, and since then she had looked after me well and given me good advice.

"Okay mummy. Lily says that I should not bother you, so I won't."

On hearing Lily's name, mummy's face hardened a bit and she sighed. Then she smiled at me and said, "Very well, go and play now. Okay?"

"Okay," I replied. After all, playing with Lily was all I did. We were too poor and I couldn't go to school so I spent my time with my friend.

"Wait," mummy said, "Today is Reaping Day. I think you should get ready for that first."

"What?" I asked, not having heard her completely. Lily was licking my ankle.

"Reaping Day," mummy said firmly, "Let's make you pretty."

She steered me over to my room, Lily following me with playful barks. I didn't know what mummy meant by making me pretty. Playing with my brown hair that fell past my shoulder, I wondered if mummy could make them longer. Or turn my green eyes blue. Or my short stature into a tall one. If nothing else, I wondered if she meant by changing my pale complexion into a tanned one. That would be nice.

Once in my room, mummy was talking about something but I didn't pay much heed. I wanted to but Lily was brushing her tail against my legs and I was giggling so hard that mummy's words were completely drowned.

It turned out that a blue, frilly dress was mummy had planned for me. I had to admit, it was pretty.

"Get ready," mummy said and walked out.

"You heard her, right?" I said, "Get going Lily."

She barked and then followed mummy out. I laughed and shut my door. The dress was certainly pretty.

* * *

 **Tab Hamasaki (17) D3M**

"Kiddo! Drink it please!" I pleaded with one year old Siri, who shook her head adamantly and sat down, thrashing her legs.

"Ma!" she cried, "Ma!"

Ana laughed as she walked over to a crestfallen me and patted my shoulder.

"That's not how it's done," she said.

"Yeah? And how is it done?"

She took the milk bottle from me and then turned to Siri with a smile.

"Come to mama," Ana called out and our young daughter, although capable enough to walk for very short distances, crawled over to her.

"If you drink this, I'll tell you a story. Okay?"

"Ohkay," she replied slowly and I laughed as I set her on my lap.

"Very well," I said and held the bottle to her lips. She sucked a bit and then took it out of her mouth and stared at Ana.

"Long time ago, there was a beautiful girl who lived in a palace. She had many servants and lots of riches and she was very beautiful."

As I made sure she drank some more milk, I was certain that the only thing she would understand was that a girl was beautiful, but it didn't matter. Siri liked stories.

"And do you know her name?" Ana asked mysteriously.

"Na," Siri replied shaking her head.''

"Her name was Siri!" Ana said with a big smile and Siri giggled. Her laugh was music to my ears. She was my world, my everything.

"And then one day a prince came to see her, because she was so nice and beautiful. The prince was really handsome and rich. Very strong and brave. The two met and fell in love."

Siri drank the milk more readily now. I gave Ana a thumbs-up and she nodded.

"But then the prince found out that Siri didn't drink milk!"

My daughter gasped at that and started at her mother with her large eyes.

"'Siri, you must drink milk,' the prince said. 'But I don't like it,' Siri said."

"And then," I started, cutting off Ana, making my daughter stare at me, "And then the prince convinced her to drink milk. She drank milk and became so strong that she could lift mountains on her own. And so beautiful, so beautiful that in the end the prince asked her."

"What?" Siri asked, milk dripping onto her lap.

"The prince asked her to marry him!" Ana concluded, "And then the two of them lived happily ever after!"

Siri clapped at the story, a big smile on her face, her legs moving very fast.

"I want milk," she declared and I found it easy to feed her the whole bottle. Settling her on my lap in a sleeping position, I rocked back and forth, singing a lullaby. Slowly, very slowly, her eyelids drooped and she was soundly sleeping. Gently lifting her, I settled her down in her cradle and covered her with sheets. My little princess looked so adorable right then.

"Mission accomplished," Ana said.

"Yeah."

And with that I fell back on the floor.

"Tab?!"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine," I replied, "I'm just a little tired."

Ana sighed as she sat down on the floor next to me.

"I know dear. It's all the extra work in the factory…"

"Well, it has to be done."

"If Siri weren't so young, I would have definitely found a job and helped you, Tab."

"I know that," I replied, "But Siri needs her mama. And it isn't all that hard. Really. I just need a little rest…"

"Which you can't get."

I raised my brow at her. What did she mean? Why couldn't I get it?

"Reapings," Ana replied, "We'll have to be there."

I groaned. No, not that day! What if Ana or I was reaped? The thought was certainly not very pleasant and made me tremble.

"The Reapings," I muttered, "We need to get ready."

But Reapings scared me. What if Ana was Reaped? Who would look after Siri? How would I live? And if I were reaped, who would support the family? Hopefully, our names won't be called that year or the next one. And then we would be safe, happily married and live our lives peacefully.

We met when we were fourteen and fell for each other right then. It was a happy time, and then Ana turned sixteen and Siri was born. We were elated and loved her more than anything in the world but it was a testing period. Both of us were young and didn't know how to handle the situation but with a little help from our parents, we managed to get through that phase. We still struggled a little but it was much better than before.

Siri inherited a lot of my features though. Small dark brown eyes, straight nose, small mouth. Black hair. Everything was similar. The only difference was that I was a boy and she wasn't. Maybe she would become tall like me once she grew up. Or maybe she would be slightly short, like Ana. I would honestly love to see some of Ana in her.

Ana told my mom to look after Siri when we would be in the Square and she agreed happily. Mom loved her granddaughter a lot.

Ana laced her fingers with mine and we walked to the Square in silence. I was still scared. Something just didn't feel right. As if it was a bad day and something would go wrong.

 _Please don't let Ana be Reaped._

I didn't want to part with her at the Square but we had to and I was honestly scared to let her go. She thought I was worried because I didn't want to be away from her at all. But I had reasons to be anxious. Siri needed her mother. I needed my to-be wife.

"Hello District Three!" the escort said and waved his hands.

I waved back.

"Are you all as excited as I am?!"

 _No._

There was no reply at all. The children stared at him blankly but he shrugged it off.

"Anyway, our lucky female tribute is Quinoa Callus!"

I heaved a huge sigh of relief. It wasn't Ana. It wasn't Ana. Nothing else mattered.

For some time there was no movement at all. Everyone was trying to find the Reaped girl until the camera found her. My heart sank when I saw that she was only thirteen. Too young for this.

The Peacekeepers moved over to her and said something, leading her towards the stage. She looked at everyone, confused.

"What?"

"Well, you've been Reaped."

"Oh."

That was all she said.

"Do you want to say something?"

"Yeah!" Quinoa exclaimed, "See here people. This is my friend, Lily. She is really nice and gives rather helpful advice. So if you have any problem, talk to Lily!"

"I can't see her."

The girl sighed. "Many people can't and I just don't understand."

The escort smiled at her uneasily and then pulled out the boy's name.

"And our lucky male tribute is Tab Hamasaki!"

* * *

 **Quinoa Callus (13) D3F**

Why couldn't anyone see Lily? Were they dog blind?! Could they not see such a beautiful dog like Lily?

My friend barked and I stooped down and patted her head.

"Don't worry. I am here. We don't need anyone else apart from each other."

"Yeah. Thanks Quinoa."

That tall man with blue skin said something and I saw a tall boy walking to where I was. He had tears in his eyes and he was wiping at them. Why was he crying?

"Why is he sad?" I asked Lily.

"Because he has been Reaped."

"So?"

"He can die. He's going to compete in the Hunger Games. People die there."

I was shocked. Die?!

"B-but Lily!" I cried out, "I have been Reaped too! So will I die?!"

"No silly," Lily replied and barked, "I'll protect you."

"Thanks."

I saw the boy get onto the stage and offer the blue man a very watery smile. His eyes were still wet and he was gulping repeatedly. He was sweating although it was quite cool then. But what could he do? He was about to die.

We were told to shake hands and we did so. He smiled at me lightly and I smiled back.

"Lily, he's nice."

The boy looked around for a second and then unable to see Lily, like all other simpletons, he smiled.

'You're nice too."

"Thanks."

And then the clapping started. I would want a louder applause. The people were looking at us through hollow eyes and sad faces.

But still, at least there was an applause.

* * *

 **Done. Done! We're done! The Reapings took a long time to complete. But it's done!**

 **So, what did you think of these two? Honestly, I don't know how a schizophrenic person behaves. Or how a one-year-old acts like. I've seen a few of them who can speak whole sentences, and a few who can't say more than Ma and Pa. then there are those who can run and those who still have to crawl. I just didn't know what to do. Hopefully, I haven't messed them up.**

 **Now, having seen all our characters, who is your absolute favourite? Apart from your own, of course.**

 **Thank you for reading and have a great day ahead.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Train Rides Part One**

* * *

 **District One**

Galilee didn't feel like looking outside.

Bennett couldn't really speak and although she tried to start a conversation with him, which lasted for a good five minutes, but then he tried to convey something and she misunderstood it, and then they gave up. Galilee was glad that her District Partner was someone who she knew, who she could rely on, at least in the beginning. But she was sad too, because she didn't want her friend to die. Sure, she didn't know him very well but they got along very well and used to spend time together in the training centre. She only hoped she didn't have to kill him herself. Her yes flitted to the tattoo on his right upper arm. 'Does this deafening silence means nothing to no one but me'. Whenever she saw that tattoo, Galilee felt terrible. She couldn't even imagine Bennett's pain…

Bennett, on the other hand, was contemplating on how much he was ready to trust his District Partner. He couldn't afford to lose. He had to prove a point, and he needed to get out of this mess alive. He needed to win and Bennett was tired of not hearing his voice. He wanted to laugh and scream and shout and cry and speak as much as he could. It had been so long… He could not let his friendship with Galilee affect him. But it would be hard. He knew she didn't really want to volunteer. He wanted to help her. But he couldn't. His desire to return home was stronger than his desire to help.

"You'll enjoy your time in the Capitol," Verity said, "And the chariot rides! Oh the chariots! Last year, they had chosen such beautiful costumes, they had dressed our tributes as dolls! Dolls! It was so adorable! I'm sure you will look beautiful as dolls too!"

"Dolls?" Galilee muttered and then looked at Bennett, who rolled his eyes.

 _Do I really look like a doll?_ he signed.

"No," I replied, "You don't. I wouldn't like a doll as my District Partner."

He grinned at that even as Verity went on and on about the Capitol. She talked of victors next, victors from other Districts, especially Two, and it was not giving the tributes a boost of confidence.

"Is she doing that on purpose?"

 _I have a sneaking suspicion that she is._

"Oh and that boy! Oh my goodness, he ripped Sterling apart with his bare hands!"

Needless to say, Sterling was the male tribute from One a few years ago.

 _Really encouraging._

"I know."

Both Bennett and Galilee were waiting for their mentors. They needed to discuss strategy and the two weren't sure why the mentors hadn't shown up yet.

"Where are they?" Galilee asked.

Bennett shook his head when they felt a hand rest on each of their shoulders. Galilee instantly grabbed the hand and yanked it forward, grabbing a knife from the table while Bennett turned around and struck, stopping in mid-air when he saw it was one of his mentors. Galilee blushed as she realised that it was her mentor against whose neck she held her knife.

"Oh sorry," she said as she withdrew her knife and Bennett stepped back, looking down.

"No, we are sorry," Lorenzo said, rubbing his head, "We never thought we'd creep you out."

"Yeah," Shelby added, "It wasn't our intention!"

Looking at her barely concealed grin, the two decided that that was their exact intention.

"So anyway," Lorenzo said awkwardly, "I'm Lorenzo and she is Shelby, your mentors. You probably knew that but still. Formalities."

"I'm Galilee and he is Bennett," Galilee said quickly and the boy smiled politely, eager to start discussing strategy. But it seemed the mentors had other plans.

"Ah Verity!" Shelby exclaimed, "I love your dress!"

"I know right!" Verity replied fondly, "I got it made especially for this occasion."

Bennett glanced at his District Partner.

 _What the heck is happening?!_

"I don't know…" Galilee replied, and the two of them turned to the two women. Poor Lorenzo was trying to convince his partner to focus on the tribute but to no avail.

Bennett sighed and Galilee voiced his thoughts.

"This is going to be a long ride…"

* * *

 **District Two**

Tasha stared at both Amaranth and Olympia carefully, in an almost creepy manner. The escort sighed audibly at that, but the mentor seemed unconcerned.

The way he was staring at them unnerved Olympia though. She felt as if he could look through her, and maybe he could, and she did not really like the idea. Amaranth was much more relaxed about it. he was not even focusing on Tasha. His gaze was settled at the small scar on his mentor's wrist. It must have been so painful for him…

"Uh, what are you doing?" Olympia asked finally, secretly cursing Minerva for being so drunk. The said woman was sitting quite away from the rest of them, downing as much alcohol as any mortal could possibly do. However, Olympia knew that she wasn't exactly drunk all the time. She had brought home a lot of victors.

"I want to make sure whether you guys have potential," Tasha muttered, "I was, sadly, disappointed. You, boy, look weak, and you girl, you're not trained."

"I _am_ trained," Olympia muttered.

"I beg your pardon, but I differ from you," Amaranth spoke up smoothly, "I may be physically weak but, due to the efforts my respected trainers put into training me, I like to believe that I am a strong contender."

"Well spoken," Tasha nodded, "But the Academy has been wrong in the past."

"And you," he said, turning towards Olympia, "I have never seen you in the Academy. Home-made weapons and fighting like rustics won't help. I suggest you spend your training days focusing on weapons."

Olympia was about to speak something witty when Amaranth beat her to it.

"With due respect, sir, I don't understand why we Careers, who spend our whole lives training in the arts of war, have to focus on weapons."

Tasha looked at him for a second and Olympia nodded. Of course, she agreed. They had spent their lives training with weapons. What was the need to do so again?

"I was talking about Olympia," Tasha replied, "She needs to know how to use a real weapon. Brooms won't work for swords."

"I didn't train with brooms!" Olympia said heatedly, "And I have worked really hard, okay?! You have no right to-"

"HEEHAAHEEHAAHAAAAAA!"

Startled, everyone turned to Minerva, who was cackling like a witch. Bottles lay around her, on the table, on the floor, everywhere. Tasha threw an apple at her, which got stuck in her mouth thus silencing her for the moment.

"Where was I?" he asked.

"Look Tasha-"

"No, you look, Olympia. I understand you may have made weapons at home and practiced. But do you know how to use a real sword? Or a knife? Or any weapon really? You will need to get used to that."

At that moment, Minerva dropped a glass bottle. The shards spread out everywhere, and cut her ankle just a bit, drawing a little blood. Amaranth cringed. Not blood. Not blood!

He was about to walk over to his other mentor when Tasha grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"You like helping," he said with an amused smile, "And you certainly don't like blood."

The younger male didn't say anything on that. He didn't want to reveal his weakness, especially not in front of Olympia, who was watching him intently.

"You didn't say anything."

"What is there to say, good sir?" Amaranth replied finally, "Unnecessary blood is never a welcome sight."

Tasha leaned towards him, till he was only centimetres apart from his face. There was a sick smile on his features, and his eyes were twinkling. Usually, Amaranth wouldn't be too bothered but Tasha had that effect on people.

"Then why did you volunteer?"

"Enough!" Olympia said, "That's just enough! You can't do this."

"And why are you sticking up for him?"

"Tasha, I don't know about you. You didn't really have a code of honour, did you? But I do. And harassing my District Partner? I'll not let it happen."

Their mentor glanced at her and then at the boy and then back at her again. He laughed.

"Well then, when you guys are smart enough to figure out everything, loyal enough to stick for each other, and strong enough to survive without help, you don't really need me, do you? I guess Minerva will do a better job with you."

And with that, the man left the room.

Olympia's shoulders slumped. That wasn't supposed to happen! But he was so annoying. So annoying!

"I'm sorry, my friend," Amaranth said, "It's my fault that-"

"It isn't," the girl replied and smiled at him. Then she turned to her drunk mentor.

What was wrong with their mentors that year?

* * *

 **District Three**

Despite trying very hard, Tab found it impossible to stop crying. His impending doom was giving him nightmares even though he was awake. He could literally imagine all the ways he could be killed, and twice he had to go and throw up because he saw the image of himself being inside out. Quite literally.

Quinoa was oblivious to the fact that she would probably die. She was talking animatedly to Lily, who was giving her all the advice she needed.

"You need to find an alliance," Lily said, "And a good one at that."

"Like?" the girl asked.

"I don't know. Look, it may sound ruse, but you're not really very strong. Or a great survivor."

"That is rude but I'll try not to be offended."

"Good. So I suggest that you try to gain people's sympathy. Act like a weak girl and someone will definitely take you in their alliance. That will most probably get you past the first day and maybe through second day as well. After that, we'll think what we have to do. Okay?"

"Okay! Thanks Lily! You're so intelligent!"

She barked in reply and licked her feet. It tickled a lot and Quinoa laughed and giggled, telling her to stop.

Tab wondered what was wrong with the girl. She was asking questions and then started nodding at every question she asked. Then she started giggling. Was she unstable? Was she talking to 'Lily'? was the girl hallucinating? Tab didn't know but it pained him. For some reason this reminded him of his own Siri. The boy thought he could be a great dad, and he was doing quite well, but what now? Who would look after his family? He wanted to go back anyhow. His daughter was waiting.

"Hello guys," Sam said as he entered the room. Furiously wiping at his tears, Tab smiled at the man. Quinoa just looked at him curiously.

"Who's he, Lily?" she asked.

"He's your friend. Take advice from him."

"Oh."

Sam smiled at the two of them and sat down.

The two just stared at him and he sighed.

"Okay, I think you'll like to introduce yourselves."

"I'm Tab," the elder tribute said and shook hands with the mentor.

"Quinoa," the girl replied, "And this is Lily!"

The girl pointed at the floor.

Sam raised his brow and looked at her and grinned. "Right. Hello Quinoa and Lily."

"Okay, so let's get to the point directly. Do you want me to train you together or separately?"

Quinoa stared at him blankly while Tab glanced at her. She was young and mentally ill. Tab's every instinct told him to refuse but his heart just wasn't allowing it. She needed an ally. If not an ally, then at least someone who wouldn't kill her on sight. Someone from home.

"Together," he replied.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked. Tab sensed immediately why he did so. He _wanted_ Tab to refuse. Sam had already declared Quinoa as a lost case in his mind and he didn't want Tab to follow her. There was just no hope for her. The man just wanted his other tribute to take a wise decision.

"I am certain."

Sam shook his head very slightly, looking at the floor, which he suddenly found very interesting.

"Very well," he replied, "I guess we should watch the Reapings. What do you guys say?"

"Watch the Reapings?" Quinoa asked, "You mean we watch videos?"

"Yes darling, we watch videos."

"Cool! Lily and I like videos!"

Sam turned on the television and the Capitol's seal filled the screen in all its glory as if telling the others that the Capitol would always remain at the top.

Tab leaned forward to watch when Sam rested his hand on his shoulder.

"You need to control your emotions, Tab. If you don't, you're already dead."

* * *

 **District Four**

"That boy can't speak," Oceane said in wonder, "And yet he managed to volunteer. That's admirable."

"Why didn't some admirable person come along and take my place?!" Victory groaned. He didn't cry, because that would be too dramatic as well as drastic, but groaning wouldn't hurt.

"Out of all the other Careers, Olympia seems strong to me," Oceane continued.

"Yeah, yeah she does," Victory muttered, "But why did Daniel betray me?"

"However, there are so many outer district volunteers? Can you believe it?"

"I can't!" Victory replied, "And yet _nobody_ volunteered for me!"

"But," Oceane said, looking at the picture of the boy from Twelve, "He definitely confused me."

"Yeah Daniel confused me."

"A twelve-year-old volunteer, and that too from Twelve! It's just too much."

"Careers are generally seventeen or eighteen! Why didn't one of them volunteer for me?" Victory said to himself. He didn't wail or moan or cry. He just asked the question.

Oceane sighed. She had spent a good amount of time to convince him that he was not a lost case, and Victory most probably believed it too, but he couldn't understand his friend's betrayal. Oceane sympathised with him, but how was he going to do anything if he didn't analyse the opposition with her? They needed to know the competition and since the boy was not really watching the Reapings, Oceane was trying to tell him most things that she had noticed, but she doubted whether he was paying attention.

The case was, however, that he _was_ paying attention. That only made it so much worse. So many volunteers from on-Career districts! And nobody, NOBODY volunteered for him! All because of weapons! Was that a good enough reason to ditch your friend?! Victory doubted it. If he won, he would live up to his name. If he lost- ha! Victory lost. That's what people would say. It would be so ironic. So mean! So humiliating! Victory lost!

"Look, Vic," Oceane started.

"It's Victory."

"Fine," the girl replied, trying to be patient, "I'll try to teach you how to use weapons."

Victory stared at her with such intensity that she thought she would burn under his gaze. But she held her own.

"You'll need weapons in the arena," she continued, "I can help you with that."

Victory still stared at her and Oceane had started to wonder whether she had said something wrong, when the boy suddenly hugged her. He hugged her so tightly that she thought her ribs would crack but she didn't resist.

"Thank you!" he said, "You can definitely call me Vic!"

Oceane laughed and then grinned at him.

"Okay Vic. So during training, I'll help you get better with weapons."

Victory couldn't really believe his luck. His friend had let him go to a death-match so that he could learn how to use weapons. And there was this girl, who he had met just a while ago, ready to teach him all she could in just three days. He wanted to give her another hug but decided against it.

"B-but," he said, "What about the Careers? Will they let me in?"

"They will," Oceane replied, "Just stay humble. And friendly and show that you are confident. After watching the Reapings, I am certain that they are quite friendly. They'll let you in. Leave that to me."

"Are you sure?"

"Very," she replied. And she was. Oceane couldn't be heartless enough to leave her District Partner alone like that. When the Games would start… she would think about it later. At the time being, she was going to have him in the alliance anyhow.

"Anyway, by the time Coral and Ken come, let's discuss the other tributes."

"Sure. I find the boy from Eleven quite strong," Victory said solemnly.

"You were watching the Reapings?"

"Obviously."

Oceane shot him an amused look and then nodded. The two of them started talking in hushed whispers about who they considered a threat and for the time being, Victory had forgotten about Daniel's betrayal.

* * *

 **District Five**

The Reapings were done. Sevarian was Reaped. And only then did he realise that he wasn't really very comfortable with the thought of murder. Sure, he had helped in a couple of them but it was never… direct. They were a gang. He worked as a part of one, and the victims were usually elder people. Killing children, especially those younger than him, was going to be hard. He started doubting whether he would actually be able to pull it off.

Cecelia found it hard to start a conversation with her District Partner. She was already very quiet around people she didn't know, and the boy was giving off weird vibes. Cecelia wanted to avoid him. The way he sat, brooding, not saying a word to her, not saying a word to anyone in fact, screamed at her to not trust him. Cecelia trusted her instincts.

The girl reflected on her decision. She wanted to prove herself and wanted to be accepted. But after getting on the train, she wondered whether she had done the right thing. What if she died? What if instead of proving herself to her parents, she ended up losing her life? Cecelia shuddered visibly at the thought.

Sevarian was tired of waiting for their mentor. Their life was on the line, and yet he was delaying his arrival. The boy found it rather inconsiderate if he was being honest with himself. After all, helping tributes out was Mason's _job._

At that moment, the tall handsome man decided to make his entry. Their escort sighed dramatically, it had become very boring in all the silence.

"Seriously," Mason said as if disappointed with them, "I had thought that you guys would at least introduce yourselves to each other if you were alone. I was wrong. Spending so much time outside, trying to eavesdrop, I didn't get a single word from you two!"

"You were eavesdropping?" Sevarian asked, amused, "That's what you were doing for so long?"

"Well yes," Mason replied, as if it was obvious, "I wanted to know about you guys."

"Y-you took your time," Cecelia muttered. The man was quite intimidating, at least he appeared to be. Until he opened his mouth that is.

"So, I will assume that there can be no alliance between you two?"

Sevarian didn't say anything on that, waiting for Cecelia to answer. And she did as he had predicted.

"No. Not with him," she replied without hesitation. The boy seemed strange to her. Even as she declined the idea of an alliance, a small smile appeared on his face. Cecelia didn't like that.

"Well, obviously," Mason grumbled and then sat down.

"Okay, lady, why did you volunteer?"

Cecelia wasn't prepared for that question. What was she supposed to say? If she told him the real reason behind her decision, he would definitely laugh in her face. Proving yourself to your parents wouldn't really be seen as a good enough reason to march off to a death match.

"I-"

"Why don't we watch the Reapings first?" Sevarian suggested. He was eager to see the competition, and strategize accordingly. He wasn't really keen on killing children, after all the previous murders had all been accidental and his gang usually caused harmless mischief, but Sevarian was not a hero. He actually valued his life and didn't want to lose it. the boy was more than willing to do anything for it. _Anything._

"That's a good idea but-" Mason started.

"No buts. Let's analyse the other tributes first," Cecelia pushed.

"Okay…"

The two tributes faced the television screen as the Reapings played out in front of them. The sheer number of Outer District volunteers shocked them. They were both under the impression that Cecelia was the only one, but apparently, they were wrong. And then there was the Reaped Career. Victory. Sevarian didn't count him out just because he was Reaped though. These kind of careers had won in the past and both of the tributes could see that he was strong.

But Cecelia was shocked when Bridge volunteered. He was twelve!

"I guess you are not the only one," Mason commented, "There are many more fools around."

Sadly, the other two agreed.

* * *

 **District Six**

"Goodness, they look wicked!" Oren exclaimed.

The boy was particularly scared of Fynn, who just seemed to have a really sadistic smile on his face. Quite convenient for him, he could very well use it to scare people like Oren.

Aileen was more concerned with Cecelia though. The girl kind of reminded her of herself. They shared the same determination and Aileen didn't see this as a good thing. Or maybe she could ally with her… No. That wouldn't do. She didn't want anyone to stab her in the back.

Oren had hoped for a better District Partner, for a friendlier person. But Aileen had been very quiet since they boarded the train and Oren was, frankly speaking, extremely bored. Sure, in the beginning he had cried. He had cried a lot but Aileen had not said any word of comfort to him. Then tears had dried up and Oren started thinking to himself. If he could gather all the young ones in one alliance, maybe he had a chance? It was no use to give up hope, because that was all he had. He had to force himself to be confident.

"Anyone who stood out to you?" Wheel asked.

"The Careers don't seem very strong," Aileen answered, "I think Oceane has the best chance among them. The pair from Five look strong though, and so does the boy from Eleven."

"What about the other volunteers?" Oren muttered, "I think we should keep an eye on all of them."

"Obviously," Aileen replied, "But Rowan seems weak. And Bridge is simply a young boy of twelve-"

"-who volunteered for the Games," Wheel added.

"Yeah he did," Aileen agreed, "But we can clearly see just how scared he looks. It's as if he's been forced into doing this."

"That boy has been forced into doing nothing," Wheel commented, "He was _acting_ that way so that people don't target him."

Oren gasped. "Tha- that could be it!" he exclaimed, "Yes… yes certainly! Maybe, maybe he is a psychopath! Maybe he's been kicked out of the house! Maybe-"

"Besides them," Aileen continued, cutting him off, "I wouldn't really consider Victory to be weak. He may be Reaped, but Reaped careers have done really well before."

"What about that crazy girl with MPD?" Oren asked, "I'd certainly not want to ally with her."

"Me neither," Aileen answered, "She seems too disturbed. Or maybe it was an act to appear as a threat. I don't know."

"And her District Partner?" Wheel asked. Oren seriously wished their mentor would start giving his own opinion instead of asking them for theirs.

"He seems quite normal. Top sixteen, I guess," Aileen replied.

"And anyone you think is a bloodbath?"

"I think you should give your suggestions too instead of asking us these questions," Aileen said. She was tired it was as if Wheel was the tribute and they were mentors. Wheel smiled.

"I will do that once you tell me what you have analysed. So far, you're doing quite good."

Oren stared at him. Was he really supposed to trust this man? His future didn't seem bright anymore. In fact, he didn't see a future anymore and it scared him. A few tears started escaping his eyes but he wiped them away furiously.

"Bloodbath?" he said before Aileen could answer Wheel's question, "I am sure the pair from Three will die early. As well as the two from Eight. And the girl from Nine."

"And the pair from Seven," Aileen said.

"Although the boy from Nine could be a contender."

"Very well," Wheel said, as if satisfied, "So tell me, do you want to be trained together or separately?"

Neither of them looked at each other. They knew what was in their best interests. Oren nodded and they replied simultaneously.

"Separately."

The two were certain that they would do well on their own. Oren had a plan. Attachments would only weaken Aileen's chances.

Going separate ways was the only right solution.

* * *

 **The first part of train rides is here and I am actually surprised that I am going in order. Haha. I understand it is short for a train ride chapter but still. So, what did you think of it? Which pair of district partners do you like best here?**

 **Also, 161 reviews?! Thank you! Thank you all of you, you're wonderful!**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter and have a wonderful day!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Train Rides Part Two**

* * *

 **District Seven**

"They never told me…"

"Asher-"

"They said I won't be Reaped…"

"Listen to me-"

I'm going to die. I'm going to die…!"

Before Rowan could do anything, the younger boy let his face fall in his hands. The tears flowed down his face and he was trembling violently. Asher had never expected this to happen. He was happy! He just wanted to go back home and cuddle with his mummy. The prospect of such an early death frightened him and he just couldn't stop crying. He was about to die! What was he going to do? He didn't know anything. Anything! He was useless! And stupid, a fool. Nobody would even want to ally with him.

Rowan knew what he was going through. She felt terrible for her district partner, her anger at the Capitol rising. Asher's parents had tried to hide the reality of the world from him. They tried to keep him away from the cruelty that was happening around him and treated him like a delicate piece of glass. Rowan knew that it wasn't Asher's fault that his parents were overprotective and wanted him to keep his innocence and liveliness with him forever, but now it was about to cause him his life. Or so one would think but Rowan had other plans. Asher wasn't going to die; she wouldn't let it happen.

The boy's sobbing was the only sound in the otherwise silent room. Slowly, Rowan walked up to him and sat down beside him. Putting an arm around him gently she said, "Calm down Asher. Nothing's lost."

"Everything's lost!" Asher cried, "My life, my family, my happiness. Everything!"

"Don't think so negatively," Rowan said and was slightly relieved that the boy had not pushed her away.

"What should I do?" Asher whispered. His eyes were red from crying and the immense sadness in them felt like an ice shard in Rowan's heart. He was so innocent…

"Asher," Rowan said gently, "I am here. I will help you out."

"But," Asher said, his voice quieter than ever, "If-if you help me then-then what about you?"

"Don't worry about me. I knew what I was getting into when I volunteered. There is no way that I am leaving this place alive and-"

"Then why did you do it?" Asher cut her off.

"I-I can't tell you that," Rowan replied, "But if I can help you get out of here, I will consider that I was successful."

"I can't let you do that!" Asher almost screamed, "It's wrong! I can't ask you to die for me Rowan! I don't- I don't- I am not a monster! You can't do this! It's not-"

Rowan pressed her hand against his lips to silence him. He was staring at her with wonder and admiration, but also a kind of dread. Asher might be naïve but he couldn't help but wonder why a girl, a complete stranger at that, wanted to help him. There seemed to be no reason. If he would come out alive, Rowan would have to die. Why was she so willing to sacrifice herself for a nobody?

Little did Asher know that the kind but rebellious girl had volunteered to help a child come out. That would be a big slap on the Capitol's face. Plus, she could help send one of the innocent victims back home. That's what Rowan thought of the tributes. They were victims, they had nothing to do with anything and were still being punished. Seventy-nine years had passed but there was no hope. Rowan wanted to awaken that hope.

"I am doing this of my free will," she said, "I have accepted my end but I will not let you do the same, Asher. Cheer up, you will be going home soon. I promise."

But Asher didn't cheer up. He hated it when people wanted to sacrifice things for his sake, and Rowan was talking about giving up her life. The boy was confused whether to be grateful to have found someone like her, to lament the loss of both of their lives or to be suspicious of her.

But for then, it was decided that they would be allies.

* * *

 **District Eight**

A deadly silence had fallen on the tributes from Eight. Cassidy was sobbing despite herself and although an optimist, Burgundy was finding it hard to cheer up in the situation they were in. it was taking all his self-control to not tear up, because death seemed to be inevitable then. What chance did he have anyway? A part of him told him to try to enjoy the few days of his life that were left; the other part just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

Cassidy looked up at her District partner, who was staring out of the window in silence although it was not in his nature. Cassidy considered asking him to an alliance, it would be benefit them both. But the question was whether Burgundy would agree or not. She was nice but she didn't really believe that she was okay with dying, because she certainly wasn't. obviously, she would avoid killing and for that very reason she was hesitant to make an ally. As such, she was a detached person, but it wasn't really impossible for her to become caring towards a potential threat. However, Burgundy didn't seem like one.

Before she could say anything though, Jute cleared her throat.

"So, shall we watch the Recaps?"

"We watched them already," Burgundy replied, "While you weren't here."

"Oh that's good," Jute said, "So where do you think you will place?"

"I don't look like much," Cassidy answered hesitantly, "But I'll try my best-"

"Your best doesn't mean anything," Jute interrupted coldly, "Realistically speaking, where do you think you will place?"

Cassidy was shocked by her mentor's words. His statement hadn't really been very encouraging. Burgundy was astounded too. The behaviour of their mentor… it seemed as if he had already given up on them.

"B-bloodbath," she replied quietly.

"And you?" he asked, looking in the boy's direction. Burgundy gulped. He felt frightened to even say it out loud.

"The same."

"Well, then do you think I can do anything for you two?" Jute asked anxiously, "When you have yourself given up? How am I supposed to help you?"

The two tributes looked at him in silence. The train rumbled on and then Jute sighed.

"Listen, one of you two can come out alive, if you try really hard."

"But the Careers, they are trained! They will destroy us!" Cassidy said, desperation lacing her words. She had stopped crying a long time back. It was as if she had accepted her fate.

"But we'll have to try," Burgundy interjected, "We must try. Many a times, non-Careers win. We can't lose hope."

"Exactly," Jute nodded, "And now, let's talk about what we can do. Cassidy, I think, looking at you, that a small weapon will suit your needs better. Same with you Burgundy, but I think you can manage long distance weapons too, looking at your frame that is."

The two nodded, unsure of what to say at that.

"But focus on survival. Honestly, there are so many victors who won because they knew how to survive, you know? It's good if you can make a fire. It's amazing if you can make a trap. And it's excellent if you can kill with one."

The word kill sent a shiver through Burgundy's being. The very thought of hurting someone repulsed him, and he was required to kill. He didn't know what to do, or how he would manage. Would he even be able to forgive himself if he did kill?

Cassidy's thoughts were similar to his. She didn't want to kill and knew that the guilt would be too hard to bear. There was nothing she could do about it. It had to be done. Due to the clarity of her thoughts, she was even more confused whether she should as Burgundy, or anyone, to an alliance.

"And you two need to find allies. Strong allies, people with skills you don't have," Jute continued, "Are you getting me?"

"Yes," the two replied together.

"Good. So, are you considering to ally with each other? I suggest you do. After all, you're both from the same place. You'll be comfortable that way."

"That's a good idea," the boy replied with a smile, "If Cassidy's okay with it, that is."

"I am," the girl replied quickly.

"Okay, so it's decided. You both are allies for the Games."

* * *

 **District Nine**

"I don't like this guy," Mateo muttered as he watched Sevarian's Reaping. Alessandra didn't say anything on that but she didn't like the vibes that the boy from Five gave. Or the ones her District Partner gave.

Her instincts screamed at her to avoid Mateo, that he wasn't really as nice as he appeared to be. As such he had been quite polite to her but it didn't matter. Another thing that she couldn't believe was how collected he was in the situation he was currently in. Aly felt she was losing her mind, and if it hadn't been about being proper she would have cried and screamed and sobbed. But she couldn't appear to be weak, not in front of this boy anyway.

"Well," Ceres said as she leaned back in her chair, "Is that all?"

Mateo didn't like this woman much. Her cocky grin and her entire demeanour reminded him of the fools who used him when he was young. Plus, she behaved as if she was being forced to help them and that she didn't actually care. The boy shook his head and then looked at the little girl. Mateo admired her courage, the way she was holding herself together despite being so young. It would be a shame to kill her and he hoped it wouldn't be by his hands, but sometimes things were inevitable. Sometimes things had to be done just for the sake of survival. And Mateo could do anything to survive.

"The volunteers," Mateo answered, "We have to watch out for them."

"The boy from Seven and the girl from Eight are definitely bloodbaths," Aly added. She surprised herself with her words. Never did the young girl even think about harming anyone. And at the moment, she was planning to kill people.

"Yes," Mateo nodded, "I don't think the boy from Three, actually the pair from Three will last long."

"The girl is mad," Ceres said bluntly.

"Yeah but do you remember that a few years ago a guy won? He was schizophrenic," their escort said.

"He wasn't schizophrenic, he had started hallucinating after going into the arena," Ceres retorted.

"Anyway," she continued, "What are you good at? Are you fast? Strong? Do you have a good stamina?"

"Stamina is where I lack," Aly answered. Mateo smiled to himself. Slowly she would reveal her own weaknesses to him. "But I am quite fast."

"And you?"

The boy frowned in Ceres' direction but then quickly rearranged his features into one of deep thought.

"I'm athletic," he said finally, "And a little fast on my feet."

"Nothing else?"

Aly had spent quite a lot of time on books and had a vast knowledge on plants and some of the basic survival skills. But she wasn't ready to trust Mateo so she just shook her head.

Mateo, on the other hand, knew very well how to take advantage of other people. He knew he could use them as wanted to but he wasn't going to share that. And then there was his aim. It was brilliant. He knew from the times he had exacted vengeance from his foes.

Together the two of them said, "No."

Ceres was certain the two weren't opening up to her completely, and she didn't care. She was being paid for this job and she would do it, but it was really up to the tributes to cooperate. If they didn't want to, they didn't have to.

"Oh," she said, "And I am very sure you two won't be allies?"

"I don't mind Aly. She's-"

Before Mateo could complete his sentence Aly cut him off, "I don't want to ally with him."

The boy raised his brows and looked at her in mild surprise.

"Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Aly replied. She was already tired of the conversation. "I just want to find allies of my own age."

Both of them knew she was lying. The girl was smarter than Mateo gave her credit for. He almost smiled. If all went well, Aly would go very far.

But it should go well for _him_ , not her.

"I understand," he replied, "I completely understand."

And Aly realised too that Mateo was aware of her thoughts on him. She didn't care. She didn't care about anything.

Both of them had the same thought in mind, they wanted to live.

* * *

 **District Ten**

Ivy crossed her legs and tilted her head, looking at Reynard. She winked.

The boy didn't respond to that. He was, in all honesty, tired of everything that was happening. Arrington had turned into Ivy and back into Arrington half a dozen times already, and he was in no way impressed. He couldn't understand why her personality was changing so fast even for her condition. Maybe it was all fake, maybe it really was a genuine problem. Whatever the case, he was not eager to make any interactions with her.

And Ivy was stumped. No man could ever resist at least smiling at her. And her District Partner, he didn't give any reaction. This made her furious but she tried for a charming smile instead. Walking up to him, she ran her finger along his cheek and smiled again before sitting down next to her.

"Stop it okay," Reynard finally, "This is not funny. I'm not interested."

And he really wasn't. He was trying hard to think up some strategy and this vamp woman was just… gross.

Ivy laughed.

"Everyone is interested in me Rey," she said in a sweet sickly voice. She knew that shortening his name would probably annoy him but she didn't care. How long could he resist anyway?

The boy got up and left the room, or at least attempted to when she grabbed his wrist and was next to him in a second.

"Where are you going, handsome?"

As much as Reynard didn't want a conflict, he didn't know for how long he could avoid it. at the moment he was tempted to throw her off the train and his patience was running out. But he was good at controlling himself, and so he simply brushed her hand off his wrist.

"Mind your own business."

Ivy laughed. It was almost funny to see that he wasn't falling for her, like most boys did. She had thought that maybe, in this manner, she could make an alliance with him but there seemed to be no scope of that. Oh well, maybe Arrington could persuade him…

"Listen," she said, "You won't get much time later on to enjoy life. Because Ivy will be walking out as the winner, and you will be dead soon. Just drop the tough guy act."

It was not an act.

Before Reynard could say anything, their mentor returned. Ivy cursed her internally whereas the boy was kind of glad to see her. At least he wouldn't have to go through the torture.

"W-why am I standing here?" Arrington asked in a weak voice.

Reynard almost groaned. _Not again!_

"You were trying to…"

He left the sentence hanging like dark clouds in the sky. Arrington blushed from embarrassment and didn't know what to say. As Ivy, she was sure she had annoyed Reynard a lot. Slowly, she recalled some of the things she had said and turned even redder than before.

"I-I'm-"

"It's okay," he said, just as he had the previous six times.

"Okay," Meadow said, "We have watched the Recaps, and I left you two alone so that you could get to know each other better."

Arrington averted her eyes from Reynard, who also made a point of not looking at her.

"Apparently it didn't go well."

"It was all my fault; I shouldn't have done all that…" Arrington said quietly. She felt ashamed right then. Acting in such an inappropriate manner was against her moral values and se could only understand how uncomfortable she had made her District Partner. She was certain that if there had been any scope of an alliance initially, it was gone. She blamed herself for all of it. Why would anyone ally with her anyway? At the moment she wanted to get rid of Ivy more than anything else.

"It doesn't matter," Reynard said.

"Well," Meadow cleared her throat, "Um, I was watching the Reapings again and I have a feeling the people would want to sponsor you two if you manage to stay confident during the Parade."

The two nodded at that.

"Look, you two are District Partners. You should become allies, that's what I think."

Arrington almost squealed at that. It was exactly what she wanted! But would he agree, seeing that she was in his bad books?

"But-"

"Ciervo," Meadow said with a tone of finality, "There is a reason I suggested that. It will definitely be better if you agree."

"Okay," he said, surprising both Arrington and Meadow.

But he wasn't going to ally with a mad woman, not in a death-match. The moment they would be in the arena Arrington would be on her own.

He had already started formulating a plan…

* * *

 **District Eleven**

Aspen was scared for her brother. She couldn't focus on what was happening in the train. Blossom and Trig were rumbling on and on, and Fynn was adding suggestion from time to time too but Aspen didn't care. When the time had come to say goodbye to her, Lee had freaked out. He had tried to fight the Peacekeepers. Even as they attempted to drag him away, he chased after the train, yelling out her name. His voice was so bloodcurdling as the Peacekeepers beat him, but he fought them anyway.

Aspen didn't even know whether he was alive anymore or not.

"The Careers are weak this time around," Fynn said. It was quite obvious. A mute boy, a pretty girl, a mediocre volunteer, a girly man, a sweet girl and a Reaped Career. It was a messed up crowd. Fynn didn't care, they would be his allies during the Games. At least in the beginning anyway. As soon as top twelve would approach he would cut them down. He glanced at Aspen and frowned at her buckteeth. What if the Capitolites decided not to sponsor based purely on her looks? He hoped that wouldn't happen, and that his own skills and good looks would be enough to get him sponsors.

"Don't underestimate people, Fynn," Trig said, "You are over confident."

"I am _confident_ , Trig," Fynn corrected him, "And I am not underestimating anyone. I am just stating what I observed."

Blossom yawned, covering her mouth politely. "What do you think of the other volunteers?" she asked.

"They are all going to die," he replied, "Although the girl from Five is strong."

"The girl from Seven is weak," Trig added, "I don't understand why she volunteered."

The three of them conveniently left Aspen out of the conversation, and she was glad about it. At the moment she didn't want to think about anything, do anything. She just wanted to see her brother once. She just wanted to make sure that he was alive. The very thought of a dead Lee made her shiver despite the heat. Why was she unlucky enough to be Reaped?

"Get in with the Careers," Blossom said, "During training they will definitely approach you."

"I know."

"Try to convince them into taking Cecelia in as well."

"Why should I?" Fynn asked, "Why not just ill her in the bloodbath?"

"That may sound like a good idea, but you may want to ally with a strong competitor for your own benefit. Try taking out the other strong opponents in the bloodbath."

"And who are the other strong opponent?" Aspen asked, uttering her first words since she boarded the train. Everyone looked at her in silence for a moment then Trig replied, "The other strong looking tributes. Sevarian, Aileen, Persephone. Anyone else."

"That sounds like a good idea," Aspen said. She herself didn't know why she was suddenly so attentive. But she was and she intended to contribute to the discussion as much as she could.

"I think we should kill the young ones first," Fynn said, "That's easy."

"That's stupid," Aspen said, "Young ones are weak. Why finish off the weak when you have a greater threat around you? If the younger ones are easy, they will remain easy, right?"

"That's a very good point," Blossom said with a smile.

Fynn frowned.

"That's not stupid," he said, "it will be better to finish off the younger ones, team up with strong tributes, wipe out the rest of the competition and then fight your allies."

"Well okay," Aspen said, her competitive nature finally taking over, "But what if your allies don't agree with your approach? What if they think it would be wiser to finish off their allies first and then hunt the other tributes?"

Trig laughed.

"Good one," he said, "Fynn, Aspen has a point. Eliminating the strong ones first is a wise move."

Fynn didn't say anything but he had already made up his mind. Aspen would die in bloodbath. Nobody argued with him and won. He would prove the foolish girl wrong. He would kill her himself.

* * *

 **District Twelve**

"I d-don't understand!" Bridge cried out as Anthracite tried to explain the strategy to him. Of course he did understand every word, but why should he let her know?

"Why the heck did you volunteer then?!" Perry yelled out at him finally. She was already sulking at the fact that she was reaped. Add the fact that this stupid boy volunteered and he didn't even _know_ what he was doing!

"I was scared!" Bridge cried out in a high-pitched voice, "My brother would have punished me because I stole something precious from dad!"

"Yeah? And what is this 'precious thing'?" Perry snapped.

"I can't tell you that," Bridge answered mysteriously, "But it was very, very precious."

His voice sounded sinister and Caspian frowned. The boy was hiding something; he was sure of it. He had done something very big. Something wrong.

Julio laughed.

"Don't worry Bridge, you're safe now!"

Perry wanted to throw the knife sitting on the table in front of her in his face. Safe? Safe?! They were going to The Hunger Games! A death match! And he _dared_ to say that they were safe!

"Excuse you Julio," she said, "But if it's so safe, why don't you take part in the Games on our behalf? I'm pretty sure it will be an honour."

"Perry," Caspian said, giving her shoulder a squeeze, "Calm down."

"I can't calm down okay?! I want to live! And how much chance do I have? Almost none! And he is saying that we are _safe_?!"

"Perry," Bridge said hesitantly in a small voice, "Y-you have a good chance. I'm sure p-people will sponsor you, you're a competitor. You certainly have a better chance than me."

Perry stared at the young boy for a moment. She did have a better chance than him. She was strong whereas Bridge looked very scared. Timid. There was no way he would even survive the bloodbath. She wanted to help him.

"Stop it Perry," she thought, "You want to survive. You have to live."

But the way Bridge looked at her, with hopelessness in his eyes, melted her heart. She tried to fight it but his beseeching look didn't leave much choice.

"How about we ally?" she asked, already hating herself for it.

Bridge looked at her in wonder and Caspian and Anthracite exchanged looks. Caspian shook his head at her, warning her to not do it, but Persephone didn't seem to notice. A big smile appeared on Bridge's face and he gave her a really tight hug. This surprised her a little but then she ruffled her hair lightly.

As Bridge stepped back, he was already congratulating himself for his first victory. It was so easy to play this girl. He didn't really want to do it, and he had, in his own way, told everyone the truth. He had taken something very precious from his father. As soon as he recalled the incident, his eyes turned bleak. His father…

Bridge didn't hate him. It was purely impulsive; he had been angry. He didn't mean to harm his father much; his plan was only to frighten him a bit. But then something had happened and he had…

… Tristan had every right to hate him.

And Bridge had made another reckless move, he had volunteered for the Games. There was no turning back now, he knew that and was already questioning his decision. But that vain so he had stopped pondering on it anymore. In the situation he was in, he needed to think, to plan and to execute. He didn't want any more blood on his hands but it had to be done. Bridge was concerned with surviving.

"What can you do, Bridge?" Anthracite asked, "What are you good with?"

"I-I-I don't know…" the boy said and lowered his eyes.

"We'll figure something out for you," Caspian said, still unhappy with the alliance.

"Don't worry Bridge, we'll learn everything during training," Perry said.

Bridge smiled at her widely.

"I do know songs though," he said, "Want to listen?"

"Okay," Perry said.

And immediately regretted it.

 _"To the games we gooooo_

 _"What should we dooooo_

 _"Idea I have nooooo!"_

And Bridge looked around for a reaction but wasn't really pleased. Julio was missing, Anthracite and Perry were covering their ears and Caspian was smiling only out of politeness. Tears welled up in Bridge's eyes. Nobody, nobody respected his talent!

Persephone looked at him with wide eyes and then spoke up finally.

"Well Bridge, I think you do have a useful weapon."

And Bridge only turned red.

* * *

 **Done with the train rides! The chapters are coming out slower than I would like, so I apologise for that. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know what you thought of this.**

 **Have a good day!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chariot Rides**

* * *

 **Aileen Romeri (18) D6F**

Pain.

That was all that I recognised at the moment. My skin was completely raw and bare and it hurt so much. The prep team was talking excitedly earlier and I didn't even know why. Tears were trying to force themselves out of my eyes but I wasn't going to let anyone have the satisfaction of seeing that.

And then I had thought that maybe, maybe the outfit would be decent enough to gain sponsors. I needed sponsors even I didn't want to admit it. However, the outfit was ridiculous and in my mind I really started questioning _why_ we had to undergo this torture.

We were down in the hall with the other tributes now. The chariot rides would begin soon.

"What the heck is this?" Oren muttered. He had been muttering things ever since I saw him that day and I understood very well why his mood was so bad. We had been given yellow costumes made out of the most uncomfortable material imaginable. Supposedly, we were dressed like school buses but honestly, how were humans supposed to turn into buses? I was pretty sure there was a lot more to district Six than transport.

"I know," I sighed, "This is so itchy!"

"Too itchy," Oren said, "Ugh, what the hell were the stylists thinking?!"

Looking around, I saw the pair from One standing together. The girl was saying something, and the boy just nodded from time to time. He caught my eye and then gave me a bright smile. I didn't respond and kept on watching, not bothering to even turn away. Why should I? they were my eyes, they could look anywhere they wanted to.

They had pretty simple outfits. The guy was dressed in a tuxedo whereas Galilee was in a long gown, their outfits both coated with diamond. She had something of a tiara made of feathers and which shone like diamonds too but that was it.

That was good for them.

"Why do they get the better stylists?" Oren grumbled, noticing the same thing I did.

"Because they always win," I replied in a low voice, "That's going to change though. I guess our district really needs a victor now."

He nodded.

"I'll going to give my best."

I didn't say anything on that. District Six would have a victor, I would make sure of it. It had to be me at any cost. It didn't matter how many people I would have to kill, how many people I would have to hurt. I would deal with the guilt later. At the moment, winning was priority.

Which, unfortunately, my stylists didn't realise.

"Hey," District One stylist said to them, "It's time."

Everyone in the room tensed up, apart from Fynn and Quinoa. The guy was silently standing by himself, leaning against the wall, away from everyone else whereas the girl, the girl was on her knees, talking to her imaginary friend. It was most unfortunate that she was there; someone like her didn't deserve it.

She and tab were wearing black jumpsuits, covered in uncountable LEDs. When light fell on them, they shone quite brightly. Their hair had been made extremely glossy too, and they actually looked nice.

District Two, however, were something else. For one, they weren't wearing the same type of clothes. Amaranthine was dressed like a gladiator, the material of his clothes iridescent. Then he had donned a helmet and simple sandals. Maybe they were trying to make him look formidable. Olympia looked like a Goddess, in a very ancient looking, I think Greek kind of gown that was of the same material. Her hair had been braided in the most beautiful way, her arms had been speckled in silver paint. A rhinestone tiara rested on her head. She looked beautiful.

District Four's was generic that year though. They were both dressed up as mer-people. But the still looked stunning, with the long, turquoise blue tails, the sapphire crowns and other jewellery they wore. Victory was bare chest though, with some sort of a staff in his hand whereas Oceane's blouse seemed to be made up of millions of small sea shells.

I turned, not wanting to look anymore.

"That's it. They're going to win the sponsors," Oren commented.

I glared at him. He had literally been voicing my every thought and I didn't like it. but I knew he was right. Those costumes would definitely attract attention.

"Don't worry," I told myself, "When have you ever depended on anyone for anything? Let your training scores and interviews take care of the sponsors."

And it really didn't matter that the others had better stylists. After all, no amount of sponsors could ensure the safety of the tributes.

* * *

 **Burgundy Lumineer (18) D8M**

I felt horrible.

The preparation for the chariot rides… let's say the situation was extremely uncomfortable. The prep tem had literally sedated me for an hour so that they could work properly without me thrashing around. I knew they were only doing their job, that I needed to look good in order to gain sponsors. But was it really the only way to get sponsors?

When I had woken up, I found myself dressed in a really weird way. My body hurt, it felt raw, it was painful. I saw that I was wearing something like a robe, royal purple in colour, and it was quite flowy and yet not girly at all. The material was too soft and too light. My skin had been painted like bronze, and my makeup had been done to bring out the colour of my eyes. I didn't look human.

I looked like a doll. A living doll.

It made me feel sick.

I didn't want to think about what they had done to me while I was sedated. They must have done more than I would have allowed, seen more than I ever wanted anyone to. It made me feel exposed and dirty although I was sure that they had not done _that._

But the very fact that they dressed me up as a male doll made me feel as if I had been objectified.

"That's not the case," I told myself, "Cassidy is doing well. She doesn't mind."

She didn't. In fact, she looked happy with her attire. The doll makeup suited her though so I couldn't say much.

She also looked very nervous. District Four had already left in their chariot. It would be our turn soon.

 _Be positive._

"Hey," I said, "Don't be nervous. We just have to wave at the crowd."

She looked at me shyly and then nodded. "Yeah but, but what if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong," I replied, "Why will it? Both of us look stunning, okay? It's the other districts that need to watch out for us!"

She managed a weak smile at that.

"Are you always this enthusiastic?" she asked finally.

I didn't know how to reply. I tried to be enthusiastic, and usually I was too. But sometimes, things got better of me.

"You can say that," I replied with a grin.

She smiled back. "I'm glad to have you as an ally," she said.

"Me too."

But she didn't sound as if she was happy with this alliance. Maybe, maybe she wasn't… what if she didn't say anything against it because she was too shy to actually say something? Could she have agreed because she was scared of Jute, or because she didn't have the heart to refuse me?

I needed to do something about it. No way was I going to force her into an alliance with me.

"District Five," she said softly and I turned around to see the pair from Five. They were beautiful. I gasped.

The two were wearing blue overalls, dressed like power plant workers. But then there was a spark, blue turned into golden and the sparks rose in an alignment, forming something like a butterfly in their wake. The lights were blinding and maybe that was the reason the two had goggles on. The crowds cheered madly for them, they were showered with flowers and whatever the audience had, followed by a deafening applause.

Forcing myself to tear my gaze away from them, I looked at the pair from Seven. The boy still seemed to be in a daze and that made me sad. The way he had reacted during his reapings… it only showed how little he knew of the danger he was going into. Maybe he was convinced that he would never be reaped.

The two were dressed in skin tight body suits patterned with leaves with a long green cape flowing behind the boy's costume and long gossamer wings for the girl. They both had fairy like green and brown makeup that made them look both mythical and cute.

The boy seemed to be tensed and the girl was trying to help him out, talking to him to encourage him. That reminded me of Cassidy.

"Uh Cassidy," I said, "Do you- are you willing to be my ally? Tell the truth Cassidy, I don't want to force you into an alliance."

"I-I-"

She looked at me as if she was grateful but was still hesitating to tell me. I reached out for her shoulder but stopped. What if she didn't like the gesture?

"Don't worry, I will find an ally if it comes to that. But- but tell me the truth."

"I d-don't want a-any ally," she said in almost a whisper. My shoulders slumped, because I had really hoped she would agree. But at least she was honest with me.

"Thanks for telling me. It's okay if you don't want an alliance. But if we meet in the arena, can we have a truce, at least?"

"Sure!" she said in a relieved voice, "A truce is good. I don't want to hurt you."

"I know," I replied and smiled.

Glancing at the pair from Seven, I grinned at them and the girl smiled back. The boy, meanwhile, raised his hand in greeting but the sadness in his eyes were too deep.

"Maybe I can form and alliance with them…"

* * *

 **Persephone "Perry" Aster (16) D12F**

Mateo and Alessandra mounted the chariots, dressed in a rather unique fashion. They were dressed as farmers, Mateo wearing a farmer's hat while the girl had an olive wreath on. Although they were dressed as farmers, their costumes had a slight ancient touch to them they wore sandals, and Mateo had a sugar cane in his mouth while Alessandra held a scythe. The two stood as if they were aloof and the crowd was simply loving it.

Now, on any other occasion this would have been amazing. But considering that we were all dressing up to die eventually… it was just sick.

"What the ***!" I muttered. Bridge's eyes widened in shock and he pressed his hands against his ears.

"Oh come on. You're twelve. When I was your age I knew all the curse words by heart. Used them a lot too. It's fun, boy."

"Using 'bleep' is fun?" he asked. I laughed at that. He actually substituted the word with 'bleep'!

"Well, sometimes you need to let out your anger. And seeing all these amazing costumes is making me angry."

"But why?"

I raised his brow at him and then he nodded. Of course, now he would know.

We were dressed up as miners.

With helmets having a single bulb.

We were given spades.

There was nothing special in our outfit. There was no fire, no coal dust. Nothing. Just simple work overalls. Bridge was unable to even hold up the spade properly. It was too heavy.

Everyone was unfair to us.

Reynard and Arrington were next, dressed as sheepshearers. It was a simple costume, but the fabric was a shiny one and some woollen patterns had been carved on the clothes. On top of that there was… blood? It looked very much like blood, that red liquid. Why would anyone want to add that?!

"Gross," I spat, "Blood? On tributes' costumes? What are they trying to do?"

"Uh, keep reminding them that it's a do or die situation?" Bridge supplied helpfully.

"Well," I answered, "That could be it."

"I'm scared," the boy said and squeezed my hand too tightly for my liking.

"Too tight man."

"Sorry. But I really am scared."

"Don't worry. Just smile at the crowd."

He could manage it. I couldn't, in all honesty. I loathed these people.

"What if I, what if I fall off the chariot?" he asked nervously.

"Um, you'll break a few bones I think," I replied, "Nothing more than that."

"But that will ensure my death in arena!"

 _That's going to happen anyway._

"Don't think in such a negative manner, Bridge," I chided, "It's not good."

I turned to District Eleven. Aspen and Fynn were getting on their chariots. They were dressed as the children who picked apples from the orchards, their shirts having many floral patterns made of apples. They were both wearing straw hats. Nothing impressive but it wasn't horrible. The two didn't even look at each other and the chariots moved on. Aspen stumbled a little and beside me Bridge cringed. However, the girl steadied herself and stood up erect. While Fynn had a cocky smile on his face, Aspen, waved at the crowd and winked, a large mischievous grin on her face. It was almost as if she was doing this on purpose so that she would get more cheers from the audience. As if it was a competition.

Which I guessed it was.

And the audience started to laugh. At her. Because of her buckteeth. Aspen stopped waving and smiling, realising what was happening. I was certain she had turned very red, redder than her apples.

At that moment I felt like bombing the whole place. What right did they have to tease a girl for something she couldn't help?! Bridge seemed to be furious too, but then his anger subsided as if he had remembered something.

"She could have fallen!" Bridge squealed beside me.

"You can too," I said, "But you won't. I'll hold you."

"You will?"

"Of course."

It was our turn next. I walked towards the chariot confidently, dragging a very nervous boy with me. I helped him get on the chariot first then mounted it. We joined hands.

"The maximum they will do is boo at us," I said.

"What?!" he exclaimed, a horrified look on his face.

"Don't worry. I'll boo back at them."

"I don't think that's a good idea," he replied thoughtfully.

"My ideas are-"

We started.

The blinding lights made me self-conscious at last. We were the last district and the Capitolites looked slightly tired now. How dare they! Plus, our costumes were just pathetic.

Bridge tightened his grip on my hand and steadied himself. He was almost leaning against me.

The booing that I had predicted started.

I raised my hand as if saying hello but then sent them a rude gesture before waving at them again. Maybe they didn't even understand but Bridge did and he was blushing from embarrassment.

"Don't worry," I whispered, "Just grin like an idiot."

And grinned like an idiot he did.

The audience liked his smile.

A few people clapped.

As the chariot drove forward, I just wished it would end soon.

* * *

 **Ah the chariot rides are here. Thank you everyone for your ideas for the costumes. In most of the cases I have combined both the ideas for a district. In some cases, I made my own. Anyhow, I certainly hope you all liked them and enjoyed this chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts and whether your opinion has changed about anyone after the train rides. And thank you all, for reading and reviewing this story. It means a lot.**

 **Have a good day!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Training Day One**

* * *

 **Fynn King (17) D11M**

The elevator door opened and I stepped into the large hall where the gaze of other tributes met me. they all stood rather awkwardly, eyeing the beautiful display of weapons as if wondering what they were doing there. Well, they had better get used to it, or one of these very weapons will result in their death.

A few of the children were crying. Literally crying. How repulsive. Did they not know that it was an honour to be a part of the Games? I especially hated the little boy from Twelve, who was wailing and sniffing. He had _volunteered!_ And then there was the idiot from Seven. He was certainly fifteen or sixteen. He had no right to behave like a little kid.

And there they were, the Careers. All huddled together. They were just introducing themselves and it really was time that I did so too.

I walked up to them amicably with a smile on my face. I knew that if they were true Careers, they would ask me to prove myself. If not, then it would be even easier.

"… course Victory, you can definitely join us," Olympia said.

"Really?!"

"Yep," Galilee smiled, "It doesn't matter that you aren't that trained. We've got three days to help you get better with weapons."

"And Bennett," Cascade piped in, "I am pretty sure you've got skills. You're welcome into the alliance."

The boy from one nodded at her with a smile. I was doubting my decision now. Why were they taking in all the weaklings? Without a voice, the boy could do nothing in the interviews. He couldn't win any sponsors for us. And we had yet to see his skills.

"Will you be so kind as to let me into the alliance too?" I asked.

They jumped at my voice and then looked at me carefully.

"I don't know…" Cascade whispered.

"I'm Fynn and I'm from District Eleven," I said with a friendly smile, "I may not be a Career but I am trained. There are weapons that I can handle and I assure you that my presence in the alliance will be very useful to you."

Olympia was about to say something when Amaranthine pulled her back. The two were engaged in a very serious conversation and I smiled. I didn't know the boy could even speak in front of so many people. Oceane went to join them and started giving her own inputs on something.

Finally, the two girls said together, "Can you prove it?"

"So they really are Careers," I thought.

"Sure I can," I replied.

I went to the knife throwing station and grabbed three of them. They were extremely thin to be even called knives. The target, a moving pendulum, was set in front of me and I threw all the knives at once.

Bull's eye.

The knives stuck in each other's vicinity and I pulled them out, replacing them back. The trainer seemed to be very impressed.

"That was amazing," he said, "I can see you going far."

I smiled at him reluctantly and then faced the Careers. Olympia was smiling and Oceane nodded at me. Victory looked slightly jealous whereas the other two boys were frowning. Galilee glanced at Bennett, who shook his head very slightly.

They were against me joining them up.

"Very impressive," Olympia said, "Welcome to the alliance."

"Thank you," I said with a kind smile, "That's really kind of you."

"Well, at least we found one useful ally," Oceane said, "In fact, maybe you can help Vic with weapons?"

"Please?" the said boy said.

"Of course I will," I said. Seriously? She wanted me to train an idiot? Right then I felt so annoyed that I wanted to drive those very knives in both of their skulls. It was hard to keep myself under control but I managed it. Barely.

"So what should we today?" Oceane asked, looking around.

"We don't need to do anything," Galilee said, "We've trained hard, all our lives, for this event. It will be better if we observe, choose targets and get more allies."

"Exactly. We will be wasting our time that way," Olympia agreed.

The mute boy gesticulated, looking at Cecelia time and again. He wanted her in the alliance. But why? This alliance had me and although Victory's presence made us a little weak, I would win sponsors for all of us.

And take these idiots out one by one.

That was when I saw the little girl from Nine swinging her scythe like an expert. She hacked at the dummies in a very clean manner and I frowned. Surely she had learned a thing or two from working on the fields. Looking around, I saw the other tributes trying to figure out something. The Twelve boy was still crying in a corner but apart from everyone was trying to learn something. Even the weak boy from Seven. And the girl from Eight.

It was not good. Something had to be done about that. But before I could say anything, Galilee interrupted me.

It was funny how we had the same idea…

* * *

 **Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F**

Using a scythe on the fields, using it on dummies and using it on humans were completely different things. I had no experience of the last one but it made my skin tingle that soon, I would have gained some experience in that department.

If I was lucky that is.

It was weird how things worked. Earlier I couldn't dream of hurting anyone. Now I was willing to kill. I was preparing for it. Being able to kill, I considered it to be fortunate. Ever since I had seen these weapons, realisation had hit me hard.

I could die.

Nobody would miss me.

 _Die in vain._

Before I could help it, tears started running down my cheeks. I tried to hold them back but a part of me told me that I should let them flow.

"Maybe this is the last time I can behave in an improper way," I thought and tears started falling steadily now. My hands were trembling and I wanted to place the scythe back in its place but my hands refused to move.

Somebody grabbed it and yanked it from my hands. I looked up quickly, only to meet the boy from Eleven's eyes.

"If you can't handle this, you shouldn't pressurise yourself into doing it," he said with fake kindness and kept the scythe back in its place.

Grabbing my shoulder too tightly for my liking, he leaned close to me and whispered in my ear so that the trainers couldn't hear.

"Look kid," he said, "We want to at least enter the arena, right?"

I didn't say anything, my eyes fixed on his handsome yet cruel face.

"If I see you even holding a weapon- you won't like it."

"W-what ae you saying?" I tried to retaliate bravely.

"Let's say… you don't want an accident happening here anytime soon, do you? Before the Games even start?"

My eyes widened at that. Surely, surely he wouldn't be doing that! I was about to call the trainer when he placed his hand against my mouth.

"Now, we don't really want a crowd here, do we?" he said in his smooth, sickening manner, "You don't want seven people to run after you during the bloodbath. Am I right, sweetie?"

Slowly, I shook my head. He was threatening me and the mad gleam in his eyes told me he would make an 'accident' happen if I touched a weapon.

"I didn't get you," he said.

"I-I w-won't train with weapons," I whispered, my eyes turning hot. Fynn patted my cheek in an almost fond way and then walked away to the Careers. There he started teaching Victory how to use a spear. I saw that Oceane and Bennett were missing. Olympia and Galilee were talking to the girl from Five.

I noticed that a few tributes had put down their weapons. He had threatened them _all?_! Mateo was just looking around, a sad look on his face. He caught my eyes and then walked over.

"I saw that guy-" he said.

"He was trying to-" I stated.

"I know that but-"

"I have no idea what to-"

"We should-"

"We can't-"

"Look," he said, taking a pause as if to see whether I would interrupt him. When I remained quiet he said, "We can't take not train, Aly. We can deal with him later. We need to survive."

I tried to read him but just couldn't. Till the previous day it seemed as if he was only concerned with himself. And at this moment, he was trying to encourage me?

"You can think about it," he said, "But I'm not going to stop. Not for some psycho."

He gave me a nod and then left. Confused, miserable and furious, I slid to the floor slowly.

"What should I do?" I cried in my hands, "What should I do…?"

 _If I see you even holding a weapon- you won't like it._

"A weapon…" I whispered, "A weapon!"

He had stated only _weapons_! What about the traps? The snares? The survival skills?

I saw Mateo trying to learn how to tie a strong knot.

A knot.

Knots weren't weapons in a direct way.

Wiping my tears, I straightened my shirt to look like my old, proper self.

It was okay if you didn't let me train with weapons Fynn. You wouldn't even know when you would fall in my trap.

* * *

 **Reynard Ciervo (18) D10M**

I didn't get Meadow's point.

Why did she think that allying with Arrington, or Ivy, would benefit _us_? It would benefit only her, and I didn't care about that.

"It'll be easier to get sponsors for both of you," she had said.

And how? That she did not bother to explain.

It didn't matter what she thought. The moment the bloodbath would start, I would run away. I pitied Arrington for suffering from MPD but this was not a place where I could pity people. Helping her would hinder my chances and I was not willing to take that rest.

I had decided I would work with a sword. It wasn't easy by any means but it was definitely intimidating. Having a scary looking weapon could others wary and make mistakes.

Like falling into a deadly trap.

Using a sword was hard though. Sometimes the swings were too strong. Sometimes too weak. I needed to balance it out. But still, it was better than most other weapons.

I stopped to take a break and relax my limbs. The trainer was smiling at me, telling me I was a good learner. Thanking her, I walked out of the sword station when I saw Fynn whispering something in the girl from Nine's ears. I saw Oceane walk away from Mateo, who suddenly looked very tensed.

So the Careers had decided they would not let the other tributes train.

I had to admit it; they were smart this year. Usually, Careers only practised even during the training days although they had been doing so for years.

But smart Careers weren't good for me.

Seeing that they were all distracted, I made my way back to the sword station.

"Back so soon?" the trainer asked. I nodded.

This time, I put my full concentration on doing the task. It was still hard but after what seemed like a long time, there seemed to be some progress. I didn't really feel that way but I didn't voice my opinion.

I stopped for a minute and looked away, my gaze falling on the knife station. The boy from Five was working really well with it. It was as if he knew what he was doing.

My eyes widened as a knife went past his ear, taking a few strands of hair with it. He seemed to be petrified on the spot.

"Well Sevarian," Oceane said sweetly, "That was an _accident,_ dear."

Was it just me who found the word accident rather sinister? Was it another way of theirs to prevent the others from learning the use of weapons?

"I know I'm in fault," she said, "I could have _missed_ it."

Finally, it seemed as if the boy understood what was happening. The obvious threat he was being given.

"Try to stay away from dangerous things. Like weapons," Oceane said and then walked away. She looked back once and gave him a smile and then turned.

As soon as she turned her facial expression turned to one of guilt and shame. Maybe she didn't actually want to do this. Maybe she was fair.

That could be it. She might be one of those 'good' Careers. But that was of no concern to me.

Turning away a bit so that nobody could guess what I was doing, I looked at the boy from Five from the corner of my eyes. He just stood there holding the knife and then he kept it back. So he wasn't a risk taker. That could actually be good for him.

I started towards him.

I needed an ally when I would be in the arena, when I would betray Arrington. Sevarian was actually skilled with a knife, that much was evident.

He saw me coming and tensed. There was no need for that. Not then at least.

We stood face to face for a moment. I was unsure of how to start. No, I wasn't shy but still.

"What are you here for?" he asked bluntly. No politeness. No indirectness. I like that.

"I'm here to ask you whether you want to be my ally," I replied, coming directly to the point. There was no reason to talk about unnecessary things.

"I don't even know you."

"None of us know each other."

He smiled slightly at that and then looked at the Careers.

"They were pretty obvious with the threats. If I hold a knife now they'll try to attack me in the bloodbath."

"They will do that anyway," I replied calmly, "They are careers. They are here to kill. And you don't need to practice with that. You're quite good."

"So this is what attracted you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"And what have you got? How will I benefit from allying with you?"

I liked it. He was undeniably not a fool. We could benefit each other a lot, although I would have to keep him at an arm's length.

"I'm good with traps," I said, "And I know how to use a sword in a moderate way."

A smile appeared on his face. Not a genuine I-am-so-happy-to-see-you smile but a this-will-be-a-lot-of-fun type of smile.

"One last thing," he asked, "How can I trust you?"

With a smirk I replied honestly.

"You can't."

He chuckled and then stuck his hand forward. I shook it.

Now I didn't have to ally with Arrington...

* * *

 **Hello friends! I know that this is terribly late (or at least I feel so) and I am sorry. What did you think of this chapter? The Careers'** approach? **Anything, really. I know Careers usually train together and do stuff like that but I have been wondering WHY do they have to train again? Most of them are trained since they were toddlers and still they find the need to train in those three days. I did that myself in the past two stories but I think that sometimes it should be done another way. I hope you don't hate me for that, especially since most of them are good people as such.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and your feedback is welcome. There's also a poll on my profile and I hope you vote. I can only request you to not vote for your character but I know it's extremely tempting.**

 **Have a good day!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Training Day 2**

* * *

 **Amaranthine "Amaranth" Carteret (17) D2M**

Was I the only one who felt bad about this whole deal? Never did I want Fynn in the alliance and now _he_ was dictating our moves. I didn't get what Olympia saw in him but I didn't like him. And it was quite hard for me to dislike people.

I wanted to voice my thoughts to Olympia but I didn't know how to. I didn't want to appear as if I was questioning her but including Fynn was not a good move.

As I took in the vastness of the room with its ornate decoration, I tried to persuade myself that what we were doing was right. The human mind, however, always knew when one was trying to fool oneself, and ultimately I couldn't convince myself to be supportive of their plan.

I needed to talk to Olympia.

I walked out of my room into a very lavish corridor. As I walked down the deserted hall, the sound of my footsteps echoed, making an eerie impression as there was someone else there apart from me. of course there wasn't, but I knew it was my own nervousness.

Stopping in front of the door to her room, I knocked smartly on the wood.

As I waited patiently, she called out, "Just a sec!"

When she opened the door, she seemed to have a puzzlement on her face on seeing me. It seemed as if she had just had a shower, her hair wet and falling down in beautiful golden locks. Right then she looked pretty in an unworldly way.

 _Stop Amaranth!_ I thought.

"Uh, Ama?" she asked. I blinked, realising I had stared for far too long.

"Olympia, if it's not a bother, may I have a word with you?"

"Sure Amaranth," she said in that beautiful voice of hers, "You're my ally."

She gestured for me to follow her in and I did, feeling nervous. The fact that she reminded me of Galatea too much didn't help at all.

I sat down on the chair next to her bed while she settled herself on it. She smiled at me.

"Is something bothering you?" she asked.

"Olympia," I started, "With all respect, do not think I am questioning your decision in any way, or that I don't have the alliance's best interests in my mind."

"I'm sure you do," she said.

"I know that if the outer district tributes train, they can overtake us. It's a rare thing but it can surely happen. However, not giving them a chance goes against our morality. Both of are here to bring honour to our District, to fill each citizen with pride. But threatening the other tributes during their training- I apologise for my words- but it seems to be an act of cowardice."

Olympia stared at me for a while, her lips pursed, her eyes unreadable. I was certain that I had spoken too much, that I should stop but a being a person who feared death, I didn't like the idea of threatening all those children at all.

"Can I continue?"

She nodded.

"It is also no secret that during the time we should be thinking about strategy, picking targets and make a plan, along with training Victory, we're actually stopping others from training. Threatening the stronger of the tributes would be a good idea, but picking on children is a lowly deed. In my opinion, we should focus on strategy instead of the other tributes as of now. I'm sorry if my words offended you."

There. I had said my bit. I didn't even know why I felt so strongly about it but I did. I just hoped she didn't hate me all of a sudden. Being disliked wasn't something I felt good about.

"You're right…" Olympia said thoughtfully, "I can't believe I stopped so low. You're right, it is cowardly. Thank you Ama, for opening my eyes."

I smiled at her politely and stood up to leave. As I turned I felt her strong grip on my wrist. Stopping in my tracks, I faced her.

"I'm glad to have you as a District Partner," she said softly. This time I smiled in a rather free manner. She didn't hate me. She didn't.

"Me too," I replied in a shy way, although I didn't know why, "Me too."

* * *

 **Bridge Carter (12) D12M**

I tried working with a chakram.

Yes, I tried working with a chakram. Perry thought it was a mad move. It thought it was a mad move. But I didn't care. Chakram was a cool weapon, seldom used, and very efficient. At least the trainer made it seem like it was efficient. And anyway, swords, spears, javelins… I couldn't handle them. Knives were _way_ too common. And why should Bridge do anything common?

"I think four inches will suit you," the trainer said, making me throw the disc again and again.

"You do?" I asked, "Let's try it then."

The first time I threw the weapon it landed very close to bull's eyes. With a smile of satisfaction, I said, "This seems to be good."

And that was when I felt Perry's gaze burning the back of my head. Ah Perry… I turned around and saw that she was observing me in a rather… suspicious way. I didn't have to be told that Perry was very smart, she could catch my act easily. In no circumstance could I let that happen. I grinned at her.

"I found a weapon!" I cried.

"That's good and all but…" she said.

"But what?" I asked with a childish wickedness, "Impressed by your young friend's skills?"

"Actually, I am," she replied, "That is not an easy weapon to use Bridge. How are you doing so well?"

With a sigh I let my shoulders slump. This had to look authentic. Dragging myself to my ally, I looked up at her with a cute pout on my face, or what I hoped was acute pout because I couldn't really see my face, and said, "Perry, I am tired."

"Tired?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah tired," I answered with another sigh, "Ever since I have volunteered I've been a crying mess. All I have done is being a burden to you. An extra responsibility which isn't actually your responsibility. I want to contribute to our alliance too. You can't do all the work, Perry. I- I don't want to be useless."

Her gaze softened and she patted my cheek.

"Give your best, boy," she said. I smiled at her but I could see it in her eyes that she hadn't bought it. Oh well.

At that moment the boy from Eleven decided to join our company. Perry growled at his sight and I stepped back. There was something about him that I loathed. I couldn't wait to see him dead.

"Hello," he said, "Persephone, I saw your skills with the javelin the other day. It was pretty impressive."

"So?" Perry asked in annoyance.

"You don't really need to train with that, or any weapon actually, do you?" he said, making it sound like a question but all three of us knew it wasn't one.

Perry crossed her arms against her chest and gazed in his eyes steadily. I knew the girl wasn't going to give up and I admired that about her. A part of me would actually be content to send her back home.

"That is for me to decide, Mr. non-career Career," she replied loftily, "I think _you_ don't really need to interfere in everything, do you?"

Fynn's eyes turned dangerous and he narrowed them, a smile on his face.

"You do realise that you are making yourself a target, don't you?"

"You do realise that everyone in this room wants you dead desperately, don't you?" Perry retaliated.

Fynn was about to lunge at her when a chakram flew past his nose, narrowly missing it, and landed itself on the opposite wall. The elder boy was frozen on the spot and Perry raised her brows at me. Slowly, I walked over to the wall and pulled out my weapon and glared at him.

"Sorry Mr. King," I said, "But I missed."

He just stared at me and then I walked over to him. I was not even five feet tall and he was towering over me but I looked him straight in the eye. Perry had a smile on her face, a victorious smile and I liked being the cause of it.

"Try to mess with me or my ally again and I will personally take you down in the bloodbath."

* * *

 **Rowan Clear (17) D7F**

I really wished the little boy hadn't made an enemy of that Career. His allies, arriving right on time, literally dragged him away. Now they were having a conversation about something and the boy from Eleven disagreed strongly with whatever they were saying and so did the girls from One and Four, but Olympia, probably their leader, held her ground. The boys remained silent during the whole discussion whereas Cecelia just looked from one person to another.

I was at by the hatchet station, not really practising but more like observing. I was okay with them, and I had the strength to throw them far if required. Near the axe station I saw Asher and Burgundy, I thought that was his name, were talking to each other in rather friendly tones. Asher was smiling, actually smiling and the other boy then definitely said something that made him chuckle a bit. Maybe he had found an ally? It didn't matter; I was here to help everyone apart from Careers anyway.

There was something about him that attracted people. His smile, his ease, everything seemed genuine. As I approached them I caught a few words.

"…used to tell me loads of stories and papa took me to all sorts of places and gave me so many treats!"

"Well," Burgundy said with a smile, "When I was young mom used to cook all sorts of delicacies for me. She took me to the park and played with me. Dad too. And my little sister. I miss them all."

"I miss my family too!" Asher said, "I will see them again!"

Burgundy smiled at that but didn't really say anything.

"We should be hopeful."

"Excuse me?" I interrupted.

"Hi."

"Rowan!" Asher said, "This is Burgundy! Burg, this is Rowan. She's literally the sweetest person around here!"

We shook hands with a smile, all the time feeling slightly awkward. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped.

"You… do you want to join us?"

It seemed as if he would say yes immediately but he didn't. Instead he smiled and looked into my eyes.

"Please do!" Asher exclaimed like a little boy. My sweet little boy.

"Rowan, I'm happy you offered to be align with me," he started carefully, "But can I as you why-"

"Why I volunteered," I finished for him. He nodded.

"Burgundy, the thing is," I said, already feeling uncomfortable voicing my opinion here, in the training centre, "They can't really have what they want every time, can they?"

"You mean…?"

"Yes," I said, "I'll try my best to assist everyone. A non-Career has to win."

He stared at me for a few seconds as if trying to extract some secret and hidden intentions from my expressions. He would find nothing though because there were no hidden intentions. I held back nothing from him and maybe he saw it because he nodded and extended his hand with a smile.\

"Allies?" he asked.

"Allies," I said and shook his hand firmly and then released it quickly. Something told me he wasn't big on touch of any kind. Well, I wouldn't make anyone uncomfortable on purpose.

"ALLIES!" Asher cried out and hugged me. He was about to do that with Burgundy too but the elder boy stopped him and settled for fist-bump instead.

"I'm so happy," Asher said, "Now that I think of it, why was I sad yesterday? I can return home, right?"

"Yes," I said with a certainty, "You have it in you."

"Exactly. Plus I have two awesome friends like you guys! I'm unbeatable!"

"Asher," I said, hating myself for it, "Cut down on the optimism kid."

"But," he said with something of a pout, "You said yesterday 'Be positive. Don't give up.' And now you're like 'Cut down the optimism.' I'm confused…"

We laughed, all three of us. It was a good feeling. For a moment I could forget I was going into the Games. And Asher's optimism and positivity made me feel positive too.

"By the way," Burgundy said, "I have another ally. Alessandra."

Aly was a young child and didn't deserve to be here by any means. I had talked to her the previous day and she told me that she already had an ally. Maybe she was talking about Burgundy. Whatever the case, I was ready to extend my full support to the girl. I smiled.

"Tell her she's welcome in our alliance."

* * *

 **Hello! I know this is short but I hope it doesn't matter too much. What did you think of this chapter? I want to reach the Games quickly now and I hope I am not messing up the pregames. And please don't forget to vote in the poll. Your opinion matters more than you think they do. And I thank all of you who are reading because I know everyone has a busy life. Thank you.**

 **Have a good day!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Training Day 3**

* * *

 **Oren Harper (16) D6M**

Aileen had been pretty focused on training and worked really hard. At times, when I would pass by her door, I would hear her pacing in her room, most probably thinking of some good strategy. There was a frown on her face for some reason, and that reason was not really the fact that we were going into a death-match. She had volunteered anyway. Why would that bother her?

It would do me no good to worry about her at the time. The food was too delicious and I wanted to enjoy it. After all, such delicacies weren't really available back in Six so readily. So I devoured all I could. Oren needed his strength in the arena.

Aileen, on the other hand, just played with her food. There was a frown on her face and she was staring at the glass of water in front of her.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I bit into a peach.

"Yeah," she replied, downing the glass of water in one go. There was something that was bothering her.

"You don't look like it," I pressed on.

"I am fine, Oren," she replied, "It's just that the Careers didn't let us do anything on the first day. Today is the last opportunity that we have to do anything. I'm not liking the odds."

My stomach tightened at that. She was right; we were running out of time. I believed that I could win it but if I couldn't fight how was I supposed to actually win? All of a sudden, my appetite was gone.

"I think we should go," I said, getting up. Aileen nodded and we started for the elevator together.

I hated elevators.

The closed space… I felt I was suffocating whenever I was in one. I felt scared and there was always that fear that the elevator might just stop and get stuck with me inside. That was enough to unnerve me.

A part of me prayed that there were no such closed spaces in the arena.

As the lift started its journey I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rising. I just hoped Aileen had not noticed anything, that would be bad. We weren't allies. I didn't want my allies to know about this either.

I was grateful for the elevator door to open at last and I hurriedly moved into the hall. Only a few tributes were there at the time and I was surprised by it. Usually almost everyone would show up by this time. Aileen and I parted way there and I went ahead to look for Tab and Quinoa.

The two were at the knot tying station, the girl trying her best to tie a strong knot… and failing at it. I'd assume that they had been here for a while because it seemed that the trainer was running out of patience.

"Hey guys!" I said, walking over to them. Tab gave me a smile whereas Quinoa just looked at the floor, muttering something and then went back to tying knots.

"How are you?"

"Fine. How is one supposed to be in a situation like this?"

"Not really fine," I supplied with a sigh, "Tab, you can go and practice; I'll be here for a while, I think."

"Okay," he said, "I'll be nearby."

And with that he left, making his way towards the traps and snares station. The trainer seemed to be happy to see him.

"Oren," another trainer said, "You are here to learn to learn about knots?"

"Yes," I replied, glancing once again at Quinoa who was still struggling. The trainer first started telling me about ropes. Thin ropes, thick ropes, long ones, short ones. Then she told me about some plants that could be used as ropes. I tried hard to remember it all and the trainer said I was doing good.

"And now first you hold it like this. If you're right handed, take the left end and cross it…"

And she continued while I followed, ultimately making a really good and strong knot. She beamed at me and that was when Quinoa cried out, "DONE!"

All of us turned to the knotted rope she held in her hands. It looked just too perfect and her trainer clapped and congratulated her. He must have been really tired…

"And now let me teach you how to pleat leaves and make a good rope out of it. For that you need some sharp…"

And the lesson went on.

* * *

 **Galilee Schwartz (18) D1F**

I felt angry for no apparent reason at the time and I needed to cook. Sadly, that facility wasn't really available here. It was only fuelling my rage.

I understood that it was wrong to not let the other tributes train. That it wouldn't be fair to them. But were the Games fair? Was it right to let children kill each other? No, it wasn't. when the whole system was based on unfairness, why should I care about right and wrong?

I had no idea why I was feeling this way. Ever since I had arrived in the Capitol the reality of the situation had hit me. I was going to compete. During the Reapings I had accepted my fate. That I was going to die. But here, in the Capitol, I couldn't bring myself to believe it. Why should I die? There was no way I was going to accept my death. I wanted to get out of there. Alive. And tell the others back home how scary death is, how its thought alone could give one nightmares.

I didn't like or understand the change in my demeanour.

But Olympia had to stop us! Why? Because of that District Partner of hers.

"Okay, during the bloodbath, we have to stop the other tributes from getting the supplies-" Oceane started.

"Careers always do that," Olymoia cut her.

"Yes they do," Oceane replied calmly, "But we need to secure all the supplies."

"We can have a ring formation," Olympia said, "Instead of all of us running to the cornucopia, it will be better if we prevent the others from reaching there. Some of us can do that while the others secure the supplies. And then the rest of us could get there and we can form a ring around it so that nobody can get there."

"That will be a good idea. I don't think many people will be able to get inside if some of the Careers are already stationed there."

"That's the plan."

"It's easier said than done," Cecelia muttered, "Making a ring around it won't be easy. Eight people are not enough for the job."

"She's right," Fynn said, "Let's say four of are trying to stop the other tributes from getting there while the other four reach there first and establish our control. Do you think four people will be enough to stop so many others?"

"The tributes are smart this year, Fynn," Olympia said, "I don't think they will all be running into the bloodbath. Only a few desperate ones are going to try that-"

"- and those few will die," Fynn said with a smirk.

"Yes," I said sadly, "They will, for one of us to win."

Bennett remained silent the whole time. No gestures. Nothing. I was worried about it.

"Do you wish to suggest something, Ben?" I asked.

He shook his head at that. No, there definitely something that he wanted to say but just couldn't.

"I suggest that we try to push them off their plates," Victory said jokingly.

"How?" Oceane asked.

"Carry stones in there and throw it at them?"

We laughed at that. I could very vividly imagine Victory throwing stones at people and them cursing him like a sailor even as they would fall. It wasn't a pretty sight but definitely a humorous one. Why? Because if anyone could do something of the sort, it was definitely him.

"I wish we could smuggle in some stones," Cecelia said, "We could, in fact, earn ourselves some time that way."

"We should wait for the scores to come out," I said, "We need to pick on the stronger ones and finish them off in the bloodbath itself."

My voice almost cracked at that. Here I was, already making plans to murder children. The thought disgusted me and slowly I had started to hate myself. Why did I volunteer? I shouldn't have done that. It was a wrong decision. But now that I had done it I really needed to win. I needed to get out. A part of me knew that I would probably need therapy if I got out alive but I would deal with that later. Right now, I wanted to live.

"Very true," Olympia said, "We need to take out the strong ones first and focus on them instead of the supposed bloodbaths."

"But they'll be easier to kill," Fynn said almost defensively.

"Yes. That's the thing. Why bother about something that can't cause trouble instead of those things that can, and will, try to prevent our victory."

"Prevent me?" Victory said, bewildered, "Prevent me from doing what?"

"She wasn't talking about you, Vic," Amaranth said with a smile.

"Oh. That's fine then."

And we continued, suggesting ways and plans, all except Ben, who was too quiet. What was the problem?

I had to find out.

* * *

 **Aspen Rust (17) D11F**

I still hadn't gotten over the embarrassment of the chariot rides. They had laughed and booed at me. my smile… my smile was the reason of this humiliation. Why did I smile? I knew my buck teeth would be visible! I shouldn't have had smiled.

"Your smile is worth millions."

Lee used to tell me that. I never believed it but he always said this so genuinely that slowly I started to feel better.

The night of the parade was the worst. Fynn had smirked at me sideways when the crowd had started booing. He had enjoyed it, the insults people were showering me with. That very night the Capitol surgeons had operated on me and fixed my teeth. But what was the use then? The rides were complete; the people had seen me at my worst.

"What was Lee thinking?"

That had been the only thought on my mind since then. What had Lee been thinking? How had he reacted? How did he feel?

But no, I wasn't going to turn into a pessimist over that. The interviews were left and also the private sessions. There was a lot to prove, a lot to do. There was Lee to return to. And then there were so many tributes here who were good at something or the other. The Games were horrible, unfair, painful, but they were a competition. And there were worthy competitors there.

I had practised with a hatchet the previous day and the trainer had really liked my skills. "Good job," he had said. Those two simple words meant a lot to me because I loved it when people told me that I had done something right.

Right now, I was at the explosives station. The trainer was surprised that somebody had shown up for training. It seemed that this particular skill wasn't that popular and I wondered why. Explosives were cool! Especially those fireworks- I loved them!

By afternoon I had managed to make something like an explosion. It was small and nothing too special but it was intended to be a small-scale thing. The trainer beamed at me.

"You are good at learning," he said and I grinned stupidly at that. However, the events of the chariot rides came flooding back to my mind and I closed my mouth.

"Excuse me?"

I turned to see the girl from Ten standing there with a smile on her face. I smiled back.

I saw that the girl was shy, unable to speak whatever she wanted to say.

"My name is Aspen," I said, "And you might be Arrington?"

"Y-yes," she said, "Nice to meet you Aspen. Ac-actually I saw you with the hatchets yesterday and today I saw how good you are with explosives. The-the thing is…"

Her voice faltered at that. I nodded.

"Please tell me without any hesitation. I'd like to help you with whatever I can."

"I was wondering whether you'd like to be allies with me and Reynard."

There was a pause after that. Neither of us spoke and she looked at me hopefully. I didn't know what to say. I was happy on being offered an alliance but it was no secret that Arrington had MPD. What would Ivy act like? She honestly scared me as such.

And then there was Reynard. I couldn't understand him at all. He never said much and the only important thing I had noticed was his conversation with the boy from Five, possibly to invite him into the alliance. But if he was there too, wouldn't Arrington mention it?

"Is there anyone else too?" I asked casually.

She looked at me in confusion. "No. Why?"

"Nothing," I replied, having understood what that boy was planning, "Nothing at all."

And so he was going to betray her in the arena. My blood boiled with rage. I got that we would be in a death match but loyalty still meant _something_. At least initially! He hadn't even told her. Why did he say yes when he wasn't even interested?

As such I needed allies. This was the only option at the time so I nodded.

"I'm happy you asked me to join in," I said, "I'd live to be in your alliance."

"Thank you!" Arrington said, an expression of relief coming on her face. "Reynard will love it!"

"About that," I said, already hating myself but I had to do it, "Reynard isn't your ally."

Her face paled at that, a frown appearing on it. Her lips quivered slightly as she asked, "What do you mean?"

And then I told her everything; his conversation with Sevarian, the fact that they agreed on something and she said that he never told her. Her shoulders slumped and I saw that her eyes had turned bleak. I squeezed her shoulder.

"Don't worry. I am right here," I said, "And we'll make a boss team."

* * *

 **Done with the Training Days! What did you think of this chapter? Was it too boring? We have seen our alliances although most of my alliances are formed in the arena itself…**

 **Alliances:-**

 **Bennett/Galilee/Olympia/Amaranth/Victory/Oceane/Cecelia/Fynn**

 **Reynard/Sevarian**

 **Arrington (Ivy)/Aspen**

 **Asher/Rowan/Burgundy/Alessandra**

 **Tab/Quinoa/Oren**

 **Persephone/Bridge**

 **Aileen**

 **Cassidy**

 **Mateo**

 **I think that's about it? I'm really excited about the upcoming chapters. The Private Sessions and the Interviews are left and then we'll be in the arena.**

 **Also, thank you all so much for your reviews. They always make me smile and I am shocked to have 205 reviews by the second training day! Never really thought it would happen! Thank you again!**

 **Have a great day!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Read the chapter first please. Don't skip to the author's note! Please, just don't.**

 **Private Sessions**

* * *

 **Oceane Cascade (17) D4F**

Victory's agitation made sense to me. He was fidgeting beside me, moving his hands occasionally as if wielding an imaginary spear.

"Calm down," I said in a voice as reassuring as I could muster.

"I am calm," he said in a voice that made me doubt his confidence. Sighing, I grabbed his wrist and squeezed gently.

"You can do it," I said. I believed he could. It wasn't that hard anyway and Victory had practiced diligently.

"What are you going to show them?" Olympia asked.

"Whatever I have learned till now," I answered, "There are lots of things to do and show. I'm hoping for a good score."

"What are you expecting?" she asked, "I think I should get a ten."

"I'll say a nine," I replied.

"Vic?"

Victory looked up nervously, although he was trying hard to hide it, and replied in an _almost_ confident voice, "I-I think a seven…?"

"A seven is good," Olympia said encouragingly, "And you didn't even have much training before. That's quite good actually."

"By your leave," Amaranth said, "I don't think we should start predicting our scores before our sessions are even done."

"Good point."

We waited outside the hall, twenty-two of us casting nervous looks at the closed door. I wondered what Galilee was doing, how Bennett had performed. I hoped they did well or else it would cost the alliance dearly. We needed sponsors.

Victory was still looking as if he was there to write an examination that he would fail and it was annoying me now. I didn't want to hurt him but I always spoke my mind and my words slipped out involuntarily.

"Stop behaving like a coward. You're annoying me."

At that Victory stared at me, his eyes wide. Olympia looked at me sternly and Amaranth frowned. Tab and Quinoa looked at me too. I cursed myself internally.

"Sorry for being mean, Vic," I said evenly, "But it will just be better for everyone if you calm down now and don't panic."

He turned away with an 'okay' and I rolled my eyes. Sometimes he could be such a drama queen. I was fed up of his drama but as such he was a sweet person so I managed to bear him.

Who was I kidding? I considered Vic my friend and that's what scared me. One couldn't- shouldn't- have friends in the arena. Allies, yes. But friends? Didn't we all want to live? And what if I started caring for him too much? No, I had to stop. I had to.

"Oceane?"

"What?" I snapped irritably and then sighed. There was no need to take out my frustration on poor Olympia, who frowned and looked at me in concern.

"I'm just, I'm just not very well," I said. Vic turned towards me again with an anxious look and I wanted to hit myself. Now they would all look at me with sympathy and concern, and I really didn't want it. I knew I could get attached if I focused on them too much, if they showed genuine concern. And their concern looked very much genuine at the moment.

"What should I show them?" Vic suddenly said, "I don't know anything!"

"Well," I replied with a scoff, "Haven't you learned about spears and how to use one? Just go and rip some dummies to shreds!"

He was about to say something when suddenly Amaranth was called for. The boy stood up.

"Good luck!" I said.

"Thank you," he replied.

"You're going to rock bro! Just show 'em!" Victory said in a tone very enthusiastic.

"Yes. We know you'll do amazing!" Olympia said with a smile.

"Thank you for your best wishes," Amaranth replied and then started towards the hall. I watched his retreating form.

 _It will be your turn now._

I was nervous now. What if I couldn't do anything? What if five years of training went waste? That would be unbearable! No, that couldn't happen. Amaranth was so relaxed. Bennett and Galilee were so relaxed. Olympia was calm too. I saw that Fynn was pretty chill about it all. Hmm, I needed to keep my cool.

 _You can do it._

I had to. I had to. There was just no other way.

* * *

 **Victory Fervaix (16) D4M**

As soon as Quinoa left I felt myself going jittery. No way. It was my turn next! I started fidgeting at the very thought. It was a common knowledge there that I was clumsy. What if I accidently gutted myself with my own spear?!

"There goes Victory," people would say, "No competition. He fell on his sword."

"He used a spear."

"Yeah. That."

I couldn't bear it. Actually I could, because I was used to insults back in Four, but these people were new! I didn't want insults from anyone new. Sure, I was almost always down on myself but if I was humiliated by them then I would feel even more down on myself. If that made sense.

"What made sense?" Oceane asked.

Oh no! I was now talking what I thought?! That was horrible!

"Anything, really? The should just give us Careers ten each," I answered, leaning back in my chair, giving her one of my awkward smiles, although all my smiles were awkward so it wasn't any different.

"That will be amazing," she admitted, "Careers usually do get at least a nine."

"Exactly."

"Mr. Fervaix, please report to the training hall."

I gulped. My time had come…no, not in that way but now I had to go and show them my non-existent skills. Oceane got up with me and gave me a tight hug.

"Be confident but not more than necessary," she said, "You can do well, Vic."

"I sure hope I do," I replied and then started towards the gates. I paused for a second outside the hall. "Do it Victory," I whispered and then entered the place, trying to keep my determination alive.

"Hello, Mr. Fervaix," Lorenzo McGally, the head gamemaker said. He was a creep and didn't look like a gamemaker and instead resembled other Capitolites better. For starters he had his hair dyed purple, and I couldn't understand the concept of purple hair, then he had a star tattoo next to his left eyes, which looked hideous, and on top of it all, he had also surgically altered his eye colours so that his one eye was red and the other magenta. Weirdo.

"Hello," I said as politely as I could.

"What are you going to show us today?"

Were we on a reality show right then? Seriously?

"I can wield a spear. I can show you that, if you like," I replied.

Lorenzo gave me the most twisted smile ever and out of nowhere an Avox turned up, holding out a spear. I frowned. As per my knowledge, this was not how it happened during private sessions. Didn't people just go around the hall showing their skills? Why was I handed a spear right into my hands in such a manner?

A burly man with a lot of beard stepped forward with another spear and I gulped. They didn't want me to go up against a trainer, right?

Right?

"You don't have to win," Lorenzo said in that sickly sweet way of his, "You just have to last for one minute against him. We'll study your moves and your grace. Your technique. And we'll grade you accordingly. However, if you lose before a minute is up, you'll not be given a chance at any other station."

"But why?!" I bellowed. I didn't want to but this was so unfair! They had no right to do this!

"Because I said so," Lorenzo replied airily, "Whoever is going to show weapons skills before their other skills will have to pass this test. That's it."

"And what if I lose before one minute?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, then we grade you for your moves till then. But believe me, if that's the case you really can't hope for a high score."

What a *** dog! I was certain there was no rule such as this! He was playing with the tributes! This was wrong!

"But-"

"Your time starts now."

As soon as he said that, the man charged at me. I dived towards the left but it seemed as if he had anticipated my move because he swung his leg and tripped me. I fell on my back, the spear still clutched tightly in my hands. He was bringing his weapon down but I blocked it with mine and then thrust my foot forward. He jumped back before I could hit him and I rolled over, getting to my feet as soon as I could.

He threw something at me but I ducked, narrowly missing it. I looked around and saw a knife and grabbed it.

"Mr. Fervaix, you can only use a spear," Lorenzo said in his microphone.

What?

I was distracted and the man kicked me in the chest, sending me into a shelf full of shields. He was soon towering over me and thrust his spear forward but I ducked and he only manage scrape my arm a bit. I pushed my spear towards him, trying to ignore the pain and it was not easy, but he blocked it with his own. He kicked me in the side and I fell down. He was bringing his spear down when I heard Lorenzo say "Time up!"

That was the longest one minute of my life.

"You can go," he said with a smile. Tossing the spear, I limped towards the other exit, already knowing that my scores were doomed.

* * *

 **Sevarian Vaask (16) D5M**

The training sessions was hell.

The person they had set me against was honestly the most agile and ruthless I had seen. The way he moved, the way he struck… not one knife of mine hit him. I barely managed to keep myself intact for one minute. After that, Lorenzo allowed me to show my survival skills but I knew I wasn't going to score high. Being the jerk that he was, Lorenzo would grade all of us miserly. Not that I cared about anyone else but I was a tribute too right now. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if none of the Careers got a ten, or even a nine. Things were tough there.

I hoped one of his own men would kill him.

Cecelia settled herself beside me and I smiled at her.

"How was it?" I asked.

"Terrible," she replied, "Reminds me of school days. You know, when students would write an exam and know that they'd fail?"

"Same here," I replied. What would I do if I didn't get a high score. I needed at least a six and only then could I get good sponsors. And I needed Reynard to get a good score too. It seemed very unlikely now though.

"They're showing the scores," Cecelia said, staring at the TV screen with bated breath. I glanced at the reporter, my heart beating too fast, hoping against hope for a good score.

Galilee got a _nine_. Honestly, I was surprised that anyone could get a nine around that psycho. But this only strengthened my belief; that Galilee was a big risk.

Bennett scored a _nine_ as well. "Wow…" Cecelia said, "That's impressive."

It was impressive. Maybe everyone had underestimated him due to being mute but I wouldn't do that now.

Olympia also scored a _nine._ "I actually thought she'd get ten," I muttered under my breath. "Me too." Really, she was their leader so I thought she'd score high. Oh well, nine was good too, especially coming from that jerk of a gamemaker.

Amaranthine got a _ten._ A ten?! Seriously?! I couldn't believe that. Out of all the Careers around, Amaranth was certainly someone I thought would score the least, after Victory. But he scored the highest…

Next was Quinoa, who got a _three._ It was a wonder how she managed even that, seeing that she was mad. I wondered what she did in there.

Tab, as expected, didn't do well. He got a _three_ as well. Outer District tributes usually scored low, and Three was always slightly unlucky in scores department. What surprised me was that he got the same as Quinoa.

Oceane followed, with a score of _ten_. She scored a ten? I was not shocked but I had always thought that Galilee and Olympia were better than her. Would the girl from Two still be the leader of the Careers now that two Careers had scored more than her?

Victory's score came as a surprise. He got a _seven_ and for someone who had never used a weapon, seven was a solid score. I couldn't actually understand how he managed to score so high; he had trained for only three days unlike the other Careers.

I felt Cecelia tense up beside me. giving her a sideways glance I saw that she was sweating just a bit, that her fists were clenched. My own throat was going dry. What would I get? Cecelia tapped her foot restlessly as her photo appeared on the screen.

A _seven_ for her too… But how? She was with the Careers but he was not a Career! Seven was too good a score for an Outer District tribute!

"Congratulations," I said as she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thanks."

Next was mine. I didn't want to be nervous, usually I wasn't, but at the time I was.

I got a _six._

I let out the breath that I didn't realise I was holding. As such I would have gotten a seven or eight but I was not going to complain about a six. It was a good score, not very good, it would do.

Aileen surprised me with a _seven._ Again a seven?! Why didn't I score seven too then? These two weren't Careers but they had still gotten very good scores. Aileen… I had to watch out for her.

Oren got a _three_ and I wasn't surprised. I wouldn't be surprised if he died in the bloodbath, he was too nice for all of this.

"Very well," I said, "Let's see what District Seven has to offer."

Cecelia nodded.

I only hoped now that Reynard had a good score too.

* * *

 **Cassidy Kelly (18) D8F**

Burgundy and I, our gaze was fixated at the screen. We couldn't tear our gaze away. District Five had done really well and Aileen had done well too. What about us? What were we going to get?

"Please let me have a high score," I thought. I was going alone into the arena, without any allies. I needed perfect scores to get sponsors.

Rowan was next. She was a sweet girl but she got only a _four._ High scores were not to be expected but I still wished she had scored better. She appeared to be a good kid.

Asher was worse. He got only a _two_ and Burgundy's breathing became ragged. I sighed. With a two, that child was doomed. And he didn't deserve it. he was such a nice kid.

My score was about to be displayed and my heart was racing. There was a dull pounding my ears and I muttered a silent prayer, to whom, I didn't know, but I did.

I got a _five._ A five! I got a five! I chuckled at that and Burgundy grinned at me.

"Well done!"

"Thank you," I replied shyly. I knew why I got a better score though, it was because I didn't bother myself with weapons and that creep was making life miserable for only those who used weapons.

Burgundy was next and I waited, hoping that he would get a good score too. He got a _four._ It wasn't that bad actually but next to me the boy paled. He had either expected more or hoped for more.

"It's alright," I said softly, "It-it's still n-not that bad."

"Yeah…"

Alessandra was next and she got a _three._ Not a very good score but what could one expect from a thirteen-year-old girl? She wasn't going to get many sponsors on that score though, and it was really sad to be honest.

Mateo scored a _five_ which surprised both Burgundy and I. He was young and didn't look anything too impressive. But for Lorenzo, giving five was a big deal. Maybe he hadn't used weapons too? It could be.

Arrington was next and she scored a _three_ as well. Lots of people had gotten threes. Everyone was being scored in a pretty low manner. Not that I had expected her to get more than that.

Reynard scored a _six_ and I frowned. What had he done to get such a good score? I had honestly expected him to get something around four or five. He was formidable, I needed to watch out for him.

Next was Aspen and she too got a _six._ "What?" Burgundy muttered. Those were my exact thoughts. A six for someone like Aspen was high… or not. She was way too competitive. She had trained way too hard in the past three days. Hmm.

Fynn followed and I was not even surprised when he got a _ten._ That guy was just perfect and it was so annoying. I never wanted anything bad to happen to anyone but I hoped he would die in the bloodbath. He would deserve it if it happened.

Next was Persephone with an _eight._ That was drastic!

"What?! How?!" Burgundy and I exclaimed together. An eight! That was too high for this year's standards! How did she get it? Why did she get it? She was dangerous, very dangerous. She had to be eliminated early.

I sighed. How could I even think that way? Killing was what I despised and I was already picking targets? However, the cruel truth was that targets had to be chosen at this stage itself. Whether one would want it or not.

Last tribute was Bridge and he scored a _two._ No… something was wrong.

"How did he score a two?" Burgundy asked, "The other day he was throwing those disks like a pro."

"E-exactly what I've been wondering," I replied, "He was pretty good with a chakram yesterday."

We couldn't understand how or why this was so but something was fishy and we knew it. But what was it?

"Anyway," Burgundy said, "At least our tension is gone for the time being."

"For the time being only," I replied. The next day would be the interviews and then, and then… the Games. I dreaded it. Part of me wanted to try and escape. Another part wanted to not believe any of it. I could die the day after the next and would anyone even remember me? my sister would, probably. But how could I be sure?

"We have our work cut out for us."

* * *

 **... I am pretty sure you skipped to here. Go back and read the chapter people.**

 **I know this is pretty bad but I'm tired and I don't want to go and review everything. O just hoped you liked it, and the scores were fine. Yes, in most cases I strayed from the scores given in the form but I hope you don't mind that much. Lorenzo is a git and this showed his git-ness. I know that's not a word but oh well.**

 **Training scores:**

 **Galilee – 9**

 **Bennett – 9**

 **Olympia – 9**

 **Amaranthine – 10**

 **Quinoa – 3**

 **Tab – 3**

 **Oceane – 10**

 **Victory – 7**

 **Cecelia – 7**

 **Sevarian – 6**

 **Aileen – 7**

 **Oren – 3**

 **Rowan – 4**

 **Asher – 2**

 **Cassidy – 5**

 **Burgundy – 4**

 **Alessandra – 3**

 **Mateo – 5**

 **Arrington – 3**

 **Reynard – 6**

 **Aspen – 6**

 **Fynn – 10**

 **Persephone – 8**

 **Bridge – 2**

 **Well, there are the scores. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

 **Have a great day!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Interviews**

* * *

 **Bennett DeValier (18) D1M**

Was it too strange that I could not sleep a wink the previous night? It was four in the morning and my heart was racing too fast for my liking. What was I supposed to do? How would I interact?

The interviews were approaching.

At this moment all I wanted was my voice. Would anyone even understand sign language? How would I communicate?

Despite the pleasant coolness of the room I was sweating and felt slightly feverish. There could be- would be- taunts and I had little patience for those. Or I could play the sympathy card. Of course, during our time in the academy we were told to follow a certain angle but what about me? I was mute… no angle could work for me.

Tossing and turning in my bed, I let out a sound resembling a groan. I could produce sounds but I only did that when I was alone. I didn't want anyone to mock me.

 _Think of something else._

What else was there to think about? The alliance, our scores, _the interviews…_

It all came to that.

I sat up, unable to stay in bed any longer. Getting to my feet, I started pacing the room, sitting on the couch one moment and then on the bed then started walking again.

There was a knock on my door.

Admittedly, I was startled by the sound. Slowly walking to the door, I opened it cautiously, only to see Galilee standing in front of me, her hair dishevelled and an easy smile on her face. She was beautiful.

I grinned at her.

"Good morning," she said, looking at me and then around her.

I realised that I hadn't invited her in so I did that with a smile and she entered, settling herself on the armchair by the window.

"Nervous?" she asked.

I nodded. It wasn't hidden from her what I had to face back home, and what my worries were. She sighed and then called me over. Soon, I was standing beside her and she squeezed my hand.

"Don't worry," she said, "They're going to arrange a translator."

 _How do you know?_

"They did once," she replied, "There was a boy from Nine a couple of years back who couldn't speak. So they got him a translator."

As soon as I heard the news I almost squealed. Except that I couldn't. Galilee took me into a hug and I didn't push her away, instead, I embraced her back.

When we broke away, I asked, _why are you up at this time?_

"I couldn't sleep either," she replied with a sigh, "I was a tad bit nervous too. And I haven't had any chance to cook so I'm a little frustrated about that."

Her face showed as if there was more than that. That there was certainly a reason good enough to rob her of her sleep, and she couldn't blame it all on her nervousness or cooking. I thought about asking but decided to not press the subject further. Nodding, I gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and she smiled back.

"I think you have a couple of hours," she said, "Better get some sleep, Bennett. I think I should do that too."

And with that she was gone. I heard the door slam and frowned. There was something about her that wasn't quite right, that I didn't associate with a Career.

Was she _afraid_?

That was a dangerous thought but it could be true. Maybe she was afraid… after all she never really wanted to volunteer. A part of me hoped that she would be scared. That would heighten my chances of winning. But another part of me wanted her to stay strong and determined…

 _Don't worry Ben._

I looked at the bed. As of then, it looked quite welcoming.

* * *

 **Tab Hamasaki (17) D3M**

Trembling. I was trembling.

This electric blue suit looked quite good on me and my hair had been spiked up and dyed in the faintest shade of blue. As such I looked pretty presentable but this was a stage. The whole nation would see me. I had to speak.

I had a right to be a little nervous. A little more than a little nervous actually.

Alissa Nightingale, the interviewer, looked absolutely stunning for the occasion. Alissa was new but she managed well. And she was pretty, with her dark brown hair falling in curls and her hazel eyes shining with enthusiasm. Everything aside, she actually looked like a human being, which was saying something when Capitolites were in question.

Maybe I had admired her beauty for a while too long because I blinked and then saw Galilee walking gracefully towards Alissa. The two girls shook hands and gave each a hug as if they were old friends and then they settled down.

"Galilee, you look stunning tonight!"

She did, in that very long and flowing black gown. It sparkled.

"Yes, the credit goes to the stylists. However, Alissa, nothing her can match your beauty. You look absolutely gorgeous."

"Why thank you Galilee. So tell me, are you enjoying your time here?"

"Of course. I love it here."

"You got a really admirable score of nine. Are you pleased with it?"

"Fairly pleased," she replied. I was certain she wasn't pleased but everyone knew what Lorenzo was like so it was a smart thing to do.

"What was your motive for volunteering? Was it because of honour or…?"

"Well, participating in The Hunger Games is a very glorious thing," she said, "And of course, that was part of the reason. However, another reason was that people usually assume girls from District One to be pretty but dumb. I want to prove them wrong. The girls of my District don't only have beauty but also brawns. I, for one, am here to compete, and compete I will."

"That's a very good reason, Galilee."

Her time was up and the two stood up and shook hands again.

"Give it up for Galilee Schwartz!"

The crowd was mad after her, even as she left waving and smiling at them. The cheers were deafening.

"And now, let's welcome the very handsome Bennett DeValier!"

I frowned as the ladies started swooning even as the boy approached. With those good looks, he was going to get all the sponsors. Why didn't I look that good? I wanted to be back with Siri and Ana already…

"Bennett, it's a delight to meet you."

The boy signed something and the translator, whom I had just noticed, said, "Likewise Alissa. Likewise."

The crows fell silent and I noticed the discomfort Bennet was having. His throat seemed to be dry and the crowd stayed silent.

"Bennett, you scored a nine! That's a truly impressive score. How do you feel about it?"

"Pretty good," the translator replied, "Although I wish I could get a ten like Amaranth."

"So, Bennett, any strategies for the arena?" Alissa said, trying to make sure that he didn't focus on the much silent crowd.

"Yes. And my allies are quite competent too."

"That's nice. So, what is the thing you liked best here, in the Capitol?"

"It has to be the people. You all are so wonderful. The people in the Capitol have been exceptionally kind and nice to me."

At that, the crowd finally broke into an applause, but it was more of a polite applause. It was as if they were underestimating him and I could see the hurt on his face. He smiled nonetheless when his minutes were up and departed with a hug.

"And now, let's give it up for the talented Olympia Rush!"

She took away my breath. The long grey knit dress with that low neckline looked beautiful on her, as well as the crown of pearls which added a really nice touch. If I ever went back home, I would try my best to get a dress like that for Ana. She would look stunning.

"Olympia! I've been eager to meet you!"

"Me too Alissa! Me too."

"So, how is everything? I hope you are enjoying yourself here?"

"A lot," Olympia answered confidently, "It has been fun here and I really enjoyed my time."

"Olympia, what do you think, how far do you see yourself going?"

"I see myself going far," she replied, "I have worked hard for these Games and I'll try my best to win them too."

Alissa smiled at her. "Do you know what placement has been predicted for you?" she asked in an almost casual manner.

"No," Olympia replied.

"The Capitol thinks that you can win this, Olympia. The predicted placement for you is first."

Olympia didn't look shocked at the news. Instead, she merely smiled and then turned to the crowd.

"Thank you for having faith in me," she said, "I will not disappoint."

The buzzer rang and it was time for her to leave. The crowd applauded crazily, chanting her name. she walked away in an almost regal way.

I didn't like this. Did I really have a chance? These Careers were something else that year.

The odds were not in my favour.

* * *

 **Olympia Rush (17) D2F**

First placement? Honestly?

I was feeling giddy with delight. They predicted me to win this thing. They saw my potential. Of course, true potential couldn't really be hidden. I could win sponsors for the alliance and for myself too. That was a plus point.

 _Don't get overconfident._

Yes, overconfidence usually led to failure. I shouldn't get too proud. In fact, now that I thought of it, it could be a problem. My alliance could turn on me during the bloodbath itself…

"Amaranthine, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Nightingale," Amaranth said in his beautiful voice.

"Amaranthine, who do you think is the biggest threat here?"

"I think everyone here has a chance at victory," he replied, "However, the biggest threat at the moment seems to be Sevarian."

Why him? Sure, he got a good score but still. Why was he the biggest threat?

"Sevarian?! Why do you say that?"

"He has a fire in him, a fire to win, to live. And I have observed him during training. He's talented."

"Wow… That's interesting! Amaranthine, do you have anyone special back home?"

Amaranth blushed slightly at that and nodded.

"Yes, I do, Alissa."

The crowd gasped and I frowned. He simply admitted it here?

"Galatea, my mentor, my best friend, my everything. She's a remarkable young woman, Alissa. I can't help but love her."

The crowd 'aww-ed' and 'ooh-ed' at that.

"You scored ten dear. I'm very sure she's proud of you at this moment."

"Thank you Alissa. But it's the other way round. I am proud of her."

So when his time was up the cheers were as loud as mine. That was good and I shook hands with him when he came over to me.

"Well done," I said.

"Thank you."

"And now, let's welcome the adorable Quinoa Callus!"

I couldn't help but wonder what the girl would do. She was dressed in a pink frilly frock and almost skipped over to Alissa. The woman greeted her well and patted her cheek fondly.

"Lily, say hello!"

Alissa looked confused for a moment and I wondered what she would do but then she smiled.

"Hello there, Lily," she said, "You look beautiful tonight."

"So how's your time here?"

"I've enjoyed a lot!" Quinoa said truthfully, "The food was so good and Lily loved it too! There was also that shower and that was so fabulous! Lily and I are having a time of our lives."

"I'm glad to hear that. Did Lily help you in training?"

"Of course she did," Quinoa replied as if the question was absurd, "Lily always knows what to do. She taught me how to tie knots and to use a slingshot. It was easy."

The crowds were loving it. They told her that they believed that Lily was intelligent and showed sympathy in whatever way they could. maybe she would get sponsors.

"Have you got any allies, Quinoa?"

"Lily!" the girl exclaimed, "Oh and Tab. And also Oren. Yup."

I was almost glad when her interview was done. It was painful to see such a young girl suffering from such severe schizophrenia.

Tab was next and he looked handsome. His clothes suited him and made him look kind of formidable and cool at the same time.

"Tab, is it true that you, Oren and Quinoa are in an alliance?"

"Yes Alissa," he replied in a kind tone, "We needed allies, but Quinoa needed them the most."

"That's really sweet of you Tab."

"Thank you."

"What do you miss the most from home?"

"My family. My parents, my fiancée, my daughter. I miss them every moment."

What?! He had a daughter?! He was seventeen! I couldn't imagine the pain he was going through. He had a family and he was stuck here, in a death match.

 _Stop Olympia. You can't feel sympathy for him._

"You have a daughter?" Alissa asked in mild surprise, "That's so cute! What's her name?"

"Siri," Tab replied, looking as if he wanted to talk all day about her, but was restraining himself.

"That's a cute name."

"Thank you Alissa."

"Do you wish to convey a message to your family?"

"Guys," Tab said, "No matter what the outcome of this game, know that I love you all. You are my life. And I'll keep loving you till my last breath."

There. He had all the sponsors lined up now. It was evident in their cheers, the support they showed.

When Oceane made her way to the stage, the crowd basically went crazy. They chanted her name and she waved at them with a big smile, looking very beautiful in her turquoise coloured gown.

"Oceane, you look beautiful tonight!"

"So do you," she replied and then sat down.

"Oceane, you got a ten. That's impressive. Very impressive."

"Thank you Alissa."

"What do you think of your District Partner?"

"Well, he's a git."

I gasped. What was she saying?

"Just kidding," she said in a slightly sarcastic tone and then proceeded genuinely, "Victory can be annoying sometimes but he's a really sweet guy. And very determined too, so I am happy to have him as my District Partner."

"That's very sweet, Oceane. So, do you have an alliance?"

"Of course," she replied but pretty much everyone knew that Careers allied every year.

"Can you share with us who they are?"

Oceane laughed. "That will be revealed tomorrow," she said with a wink.

The Capitol loved it. The cheers were very loud and I smiled. The support would be invaluable to the alliance.

* * *

 **Quinoa Callus (13) D3F**

"They are all so nice Lily," I said, "They can actually see you."

"I doubt they can," Lily replied.

"You are always thinking so negatively about everything," I chided and she just barked and snapped at my ankle.

"Stop that!" I squealed.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for Victory Fervaix!"

"Alissa!" he said eagerly, "It's so amazing to finally meet you!"

Alissa laughed. She was a good lady. "Well, it's the same with me!"

"Sorry for stealing your line, by the way," Victory said with a wink and I laughed.

"Don't laugh," Lily muttered, "He'll try to kill you in there."

Yeah that was true. I stopped laughing immediately and frowned. How dare anyone try to harm me!

"Victory, do you have an alliance?"

"Of course!"

"And…"

"You guys will know about it tomorrow."

"Have you made any friends here? From among other tributes?"

"Yeah!" he replied, "Oceane, Bennett, Galilee, Fynn, Amaranth, Olympia and Cecelia."

"That's great! Who are you the closest to?"

"Um, I'd say Oceane? Because she is really supportive and she helped me a lot."

"Is that so? How did she help you?"

"She helped me learn about weapons."

"Weapons are gross," I said.

"They are important," Lily answered seriously, "I still think you should have learned something while you had the time."

"Oh shut up," I scoffed.

Cecelia was next and Alissa looked delighted to see her. The girl was charming and had an easy smile. I liked it.

"She's dangerous," Lily said.

Hmm…

"I love your dress Cecelia. It really compliments your dress."

"Thank you Alissa," she said with a smile.

"And you scored a seven! What's the secret?"

"There's no secret," Cecelia said playfully, "I can use a sword but I'm not that good with it."

"Your score speaks for you Cecelia."

"Why thank you."

"What do you think of the competition?"

"Well, they're all pretty tough," she said, "I'll have to watch out for them all and I won't underestimate any of them."

"She called me tough," I said, turning to Lily.

"That's her angle. She's faking."

"Cecelia, I think we all want to know the reason you volunteered. Volunteers from Five are rare, if any."

"I want to prove to my parents that…" her voice faltered.

"That?" Alissa pressed on kindly.

"That just because I like girls, I'm not useless. Or evil. I need to win to get my point across, that this simple fact doesn't define me."

The crowd fell silent for a moment and then broke into the loudest applause yet. Alissa nodded.

"I hope that, during your time in the arena, you're able to convey that message."

"I didn't get any of it," I said frankly.

"You don't need to," Lily replied.

The next dude was handsome, looking amazing in his tuxedo. But he always gave off those vibes that made me dislike him. He seemed to be the kind of person who couldn't see Lily and would mock me for that.

"Sevarian, I've been waiting to meet you."

"Same Alissa. I'd always wanted to meet you."

"Firstly, congratulations for your score."

"Thank you."

"Now, as we all know, Amaranthine said that he found you to be the biggest threat here. Can you enlighten us on why he would say so?"

"I honestly have no idea," he replied, although I knew he wasn't being honest. Meanie! Liar!

"Oh come on!"

"Honestly," he pressed on.

"Okay fine," Alissa said, "So, what do you think is important to win the Games?"

"I think being resourceful and adaptable is very important," he said, "One could have all the weapons, food, water, everything in the arena, but if one is not resourceful, they can never make good use of the items available to one."

"That's a really interesting point Sevarian. In fact, I can see why Amaranthine thinks highly of you. You're really smart and that always pays."

"Thank you Alyssa."

"Do you have an alliance?"

"Let's see tomorrow," Sevarian said with a light smile.

Alissa sighed dramatically.

"You guys do it on purpose? Making me so curious and excited?"

"Maybe," the boy replied with a sly smile and everyone laughed.

"He's going far," Lily said.

"He shouldn't," I replied, "He's a meanie!"

Next was Aileen, looking like a queen in her red dress. she had a smile but it seemed forced. I didn't like it.

"Aileen! I'm very happy to meet you."

"Same here. Glad to meet you Alissa."

"Aileen, what was your motivation behind volunteering?"

"My mom thinks I killed my sisters."

There was a very loud gasp from the audience.

"But I swear I didn't," she continued in a calm rage, "I was tired of her hate though she tormented me a lot through childhood for something I didn't do. I wanted an escape from her."

"We believe that you aren't guilty."

"Thank you."

"Aileen, do you have a special someone back home?"

"Yeah," she replied, "Eris."

"That's lovely! Can you tell us something about him?"

It seemed that Aileen would let her emotions show finally but she didn't. She said, "Yes. Eris is my best friend, my love and my life. If he hadn't been there, I don't know what would have become of me."

"That's sad," I said, "Her mom is a meanie!"

"She'll turn out to be a meanie too in the arena," Lily commented.

Next was Oren and I clapped along with the people. I just hoped he could impress the people…

* * *

 **Asher Ravenstone (15) D7M**

I was feeling jittery now. Soon it would be my turn. How would I manage? What would I say? My legs were shaking and Rowan rested her hand on my shoulder to steady me. I nodded. Her turn was next and I didn't want to think how nervous she would be.

"Oren, is it true that you have an alliance with District Three tributes?"

"Yes," Oren replied calmly. He looked pretty… aloof.

"Why didn't you ally with your District Partner?"

"She wanted to go in alone," he replied simply, "I can't pressurise anyone to join me, can I?"

"True."

Alissa smiled at him but I could see the tiredness in her eyes. She was tired. And there was also a sadness. A Capitolite and… sad?

"So Oren, what is that you like?" she asked in a friendly way.

"Music," Oren replied.

"Music?"

"Yeah," he replied, "Music paints a picture in front of my eyes, every instrument indicates a different colour. It's the most beautiful thing ever."

"I'm sure it is. What painting does music paint in your mind?"

"Well, it's actually colours that appear for different instruments. They blend together to paint a picture; the way instruments are used to make a beautiful music."

"That's a very deep thought."

It was a very deep thought. Hmm, I wished I could see music in that way too. He could distinguish between sounds and voices then, which was a good advantage.

 _Why_ was I reaped?!

"Good luck Rowan," I said, giving her a quick hug. She thanked me and then started making her way towards Alissa confidently. She stumbled once, but then caught herself.

"Rowan!" the woman said, and they embraced for a short while. Women were weird.

"Rowan, aww, you look lovely!"

"Not as much as you," she replied with a smile.

I hoped she would manage well. Nah, this was Rowan, and she could manage everything well. Or so I liked to believe because without her I was doomed. I still couldn't get over the fact that she was ready to die for me, and this almost made me cry. I stopped myself in time though, this was neither the time nor the occasion to show weakness.

"Rowan, you too, volunteered for the Games, and I'm sure everyone here is wondering the same thing; why. Why did you volunteer, Rowan? Is it also about honour?"

"Of course," Rowan said, "Honour is always a reason for volunteering. But that isn't the only reason."

"So?"

Her eyes glinted at that. "There are some things that are better kept secret. Don't worry, it's nothing too important."

Alissa frowned for a second at that but then her smile was back and she said, "I'm waiting to know that secret."

"You'll have to wait a while."

"Very well then, torment me all of you!" Alissa said in mock exasperation.

Rowan laughed.

"So, what are your plans for the… beginning of the Games?" She carefully avoided the term 'bloodbath'. Smart lady.

"There's no plan whatsoever," Rowan said mysteriously, "Just go with the flow."

I loved her. Clapping loudly and encouragingly while she left, she beamed at me and showed me a thumbs up.

It was my turn. The walk up to the stairs seemed to be taking forever, my feet had turned to lead and I was perspiring, which wasn't good for all the makeup I wore.

"Asher, I'm delighted to meet you."

"I am delighted to meet you too," I replied and we embraced. She was pretty gentle and she patted my back kindly, almost sadly.

"You're such a cutie!"

"Thanks!"

"Asher-"

"You can call me Ash," I said.

"Aww, thank you Ash. You're so sweet!"

I blushed at her comment. The crowds were cheering my name and I felt nervous but confident at the same time. It was a strange feeling.

"How are you liking the Capitol till now?"

"I love you all!" I said. As such I did like most of the people… but the Games were still wrong. Not that I was going to tell them that. This situation had certainly changed me a lot.

"And we love you."

I grinned at that in a rather stupid way but it seemed the crowd liked it because they laughed and clapped.

"Have you made any friends here?"

"Yes! Rowan is pretty amazing! And so are-"

"So are?" Alissa asked eagerly.

I smiled childishly.

"For that you'll have to wait till-"

"Tomorrow," she said, "Come one Ash! Tell me!"

I shook my head at that and they all laughed again. The buzzer rang too soon and the we both stood up.

"It was fun talking to you Ash," Alissa said, as we hugged again, "And I hope we get to talk again."

I looked into her eyes. She looked as if she really wanted me to come out alive. I nodded at her and as I left, all I could hear was the echo of her words and the loud applause.

* * *

 **Cecelia Vertigo (18) D5F**

I was pleased the way my interviews had turned out to be. I had gotten my point across and that's what mattered. One goal accomplished. Now I just had to win. If I was being honest, that was the actual hard part. But I could do it. I had to.

The girl from Eight, Cassidy, remained as shy as she had been all this time. I was honestly shocked with her five. In any other year I wouldn't be, but this year everyone knew how horrible things had been.

"How are you tonight?"

"I-I-" Cassidy tried to speak but was unable to do so. She opened her mouth to speak but she was clearly terrified. Stage fright. Hmm.

"You are speechless," Alissa said, "That means you're overwhelmed by the Capitol! Right?"

Cassidy nodded at that. Alissa was trying to help her out but she was too scared.

"Have you got any allies?"

"N-no," she managed somehow, her eyes darting between Alissa and the crowd.

"That's fine," Alissa said gently, "I'm sure you can do well on your own."

She didn't say anything on that, just nodded, her eyes full of fear. Despite myself, I smirked. She was definitely a bloodbath. Strangely enough though, nobody booed at her.

Burgundy had that optimism around him that everyone loved. He didn't score all that much but his enthusiastic personality compensated for that and the crowd was cheering for him.

"Alissa!" Burgundy said fondly as she greeted him.

"I'm glad to see your enthusiasm."

"When one is among so beautiful people, one becomes enthusiastic automatically."

"That's so sweet Burgundy!"

He smiled at her in a charismatic way. "Burgundy, what's the most interesting thing back in Eight?"

"There's more to the District than simple textiles. We also have some talent in designs and such stuff."

"That's cool. Any person you miss back home?"

"My family and friends," Burgundy replied, "And the members of my organisation."

"Organisation?"

"Yeah. We have an organisation to help people who have been assaulted inappropriately, whether they are men or women. We want to help them all out."

"That's a really good cause, Burgundy," Alissa replied, "And I can say on the behalf of the whole country that we're all proud of you."

"Thank you."

"Do you want to say something to someone back home?"

"Yeah. I want my family and friends to keep the organisation alive and active in all circumstances and work for the betterment of people who fall victims to such assault."

"Thank you Burgundy."

He really did have a good cause. I lowered my eyes. That was something I could have done for people like me. I could have helped them. Instead I chose to enter this death match. Maybe I should have thought about it once more.

Alessandra was next and she looked adorable, dressed like a princess in a green gown and a floral tiara. She had a really sweet smile and I grinned too.

"You look lovely, little princess!"

"Thanks!" she said with a childish smile. I frowned. Alessandra wasn't _that_ childish after all.

"How are you feeling tonight?"

"Pretty amazing."

"Glad to know. Alessandra, who do you live with back home?"

"Mum, dad and Sorghum!"

"Sorghum is your brother?"

"Yep!"

"Do you want to tell us something about them?"

"Well, dad is an… alcoholic," she said somewhat sadly, "He's not abusive, no. He's pretty nice. But his addiction is too bad. Mum doesn't like it."

"Aww, that's sad."

"Eh, doesn't matter," she said, "We keep the bottles from him anyway."

"He doesn't look for them?"

"He does," she giggled, "And finds them too, but we hide them back."

Alissa laughed too. "I bet you all have some nice time too."

"Yeah we do."

"Favourite thing here, in the Capitol?"

"I like how well-mannered everyone is," she replied. Well mannered? She's worried about being well-mannered?

"Thank you Alessandra."

"Call me Aly."

The little girl had definitely impacted the people. I could see it clearly; they were betting on her. They were actually betting on her.

Next was Mateo and he looked absolutely stunning. His hair had been swept to one side and he was wearing a jet black blazer. Then he had that very charismatic and charming smile that anyone would love. I saw those girls swooning and shouting his name. I rolled my eyes. Seriously? That boy was fifteen.

"Mateo, I'm sure a talented person like you must have a few allies. Please share who they are?"

"I don't have allies, Alissa," he replied smoothly. I frowned. He certainly seemed to be someone who would have allies.

"You don't?" Alissa asked in surprise, "But why?"

"No," he replied, "I just thing I can do better if I'm alone. I tend to work better by myself."

"We believe in your capabilities," she said.

"Thank you," Mateo replied, "And that's all I need. Your support and kindness, your faith in me, are enough to provide that drive that I need to win."

"Do you think you can win?"

"Yes. I do. Everyone has a chance, and so do I."

He paused, and then as if something dawned on him he said, "But it can be anyone else too. Just stating the facts."

He was trying to win sponsors with wanting to stand out much. Smart boy.

I didn't know whether the next person was Arrington or Ivy. I hoped it wasn't the latter; she was annoying.

"Hello… Arrington," Alissa said cautiously.

"Good evening," the girl replied. Judging by her tone, she was Arrington. Good.

"So Arrington, how do you like Reynard?"

She frowned for a second then smiled, "I have to credit for tolerating me. You guys all know that I have… problems, but he's been really nice to me."

"It's nice to see that you two get along."

"Of course we will," the girl said I groaned as she crossed her legs and smirked, "He's an attractive man. Those are always nice to pretty girls."

"Ivy?"

"You guessed?" Ivy said with a wink, "Well, I am not really surprised. You can always see talent and brilliance for yourself, even if it's hidden."

"Have you got any allies?"

"My District Partner," she replied, "But I won't really mind any of you other gorgeous guys."

Beside me, Sevarian smirked. I chuckled lightly. This was interesting. Very interesting.

* * *

 **Mateo Dorsani (15) D9M**

These people bought my act. I was going to win this, whether anyone liked it or not. Sure, there were things that were valuable, but not more than my precious life. I dreaded all the bad things I would have to do though. Killing, deceiving, manipulating, all of it. But I couldn't help it; fate was cruel in such matters. I just wanted to live.

"Reynard, what skills have you gained during your training days?"

"Quite a few," he replied with a light smile.

"Like?"

"Nothing much," he said, and then changed the topic, "You look lovely, Alissa."

She blushed and thanked him and I rolled my eyes. Why were these women trying to make his life miserable? Just let him focus.

"Are you and Arrington really allies?"

"Yes we are," he replied.

"Why Arrington only?"

"She's my District Partner," he replied softly, "We should stick together."

"Who do you think will win the Games?"

"It can be any of us, Alissa," he replied, "All of us have equal chances."

"And how far do you see yourself going?"

"That, I don't know," he replied, "But I will try my best to win. I really want to win it."

He was determined but had maintained a right amount of secrecy. Doubtlessly, he was going to go far. Maybe, in the later part of the Games, we could ally…

When Aspen came, the applause was loud but there was a good amount of booing too. I frowned. This wasn't right, just because she had buckteeth didn't mean that anyone could be so mean to her. But what could I say? It wasn't really my business.

"Aspen, you got a really good score! Congratulation!"

"Thank you," she replied, "But it's really because all the trainers worked so hard on me. they were friendly too, ad a person does well in a friendly atmosphere."

"That's very true."

Aspen smiled gregariously at the crowd, who in their confusion, stopped the booing. Alissa smiled mildly at that and then straightened her face again.

"What did you show them?"

"Um, a bit of fire and stuff."

She conveniently forgot to add _works_ after _fire._ Haha. Although she should be glad that Alissa didn't comment on her suddenly better teeth.

"Okay… Can you guess what the arena will be like?"

"Not really, but knowing you amazing people, it will definitely be something fantastic."

Oh it would be fantastic, for the Capitolites. It was going to be a hell for the rest of us.

When Fynn came the crowd cheered very hard. I disliked him. He hadn't let me train properly; I planned on exacting my revenge. I just had to get to the arena and the moment would present itself.

"Fynn, I think everyone has been waiting for you. I'm really happy to meet you."

"No Alissa, it's my pleasure."

"That ten blew away the minds of many. We all want to know what you did in there."

"Well," he replied, this was a good opportunity to show off, "I used swords. And I showed them that I can strategize well. And working with ropes, knives. Yeah, that's it."

"That's a lot of talent! No wonder you volunteered, I can feel it that you'll do well."

And yet she said that with such dryness that it surprised me. Fynn, however, didn't look too bothered.

"Yeah, I volunteered to bring glory, and a victor, to District Eleven. And I know I can do it."

"We wish you the very best for it."

I was delighted when he left the stage. His presence was annoying, whatever anyone else said. And he didn't even let me train properly. Had I done so, I would have scored a seven.

Persephone was angry. She greeted Alissa with a fake smile and waved at the crowd with a certain exaggeration that I was sure was meant to be understood.

"Persephone, how do you feel like here?"

"Amazing! I mean, when a person is going into death-match, they'll obviously feel like dancing with happiness, right?"

Damn. That was something solid thrown at their face. The crowd was so thick-headed that they didn't get it but Alissa lowered her eyes a bit at the comment and nodded sadly.

"So, do you have any secret plans for the Games?"

"If I tell you it won't remain a secret."

"That's good point. Do you have anyone special back home?"

"Well yes," she replied.

"Who? Who is it? I think everyone here wants to know."

"Nah," Persephone replied and I raised my brows, "That's not important."

Alissa didn't press the issue any further but tried to wrap up her interviews as fast as she could, trying to make sure she didn't say anything that would land her in trouble.

Next was Bridge, and he looked adorable in the dark red jacket he was wearing. He had a nice smile and hugged Alissa really tightly.

"What did you like to do best back home?"

"Playing with Frisbees," he replied, "I like Frisbees."

"Frisbees?"

"Yeah. They weren't that expensive so I could afford them. They helped me a lot here."

"How, may I ask?"

"Their weight and the weight of the chakrams here are almost the same. However, the ones in the private sessions were heavier and you can see I messed up!"

It seemed as if he had taken his two pretty lightly…

"That's still cool. I'm sure you'll get used to the weight."

"Time's too lesssss

"I'm in a messsss

"There's so much stresssss

"Very pretty is your dresssss!"

I pressed my palms against my ears to block out that horrible, high pitched song but the audience and Alissa were all laughing hard. Guess it was laughable…

People liked him, and with Bridge the interviews came to an end. I was glad. Tomorrow was a big day, a day that I didn't want to see, but a day that I had to live.

* * *

 **Arrington "Ivy" Hart (16) D10F**

Could things get any more embarrassing than they already were? Yeah, they just did.

Ivy made a fool of me there. I was sure people were annoyed and I didn't even want to imagine what Reynard was thinking. He was right to not be my ally. I was a mess, and completely useless. I couldn't even control myself!

"Sinclair," I muttered, "I wish you were here…"

I was down the District Eleven floor, having met Aspen and discussed a few things with her, when I passed their mentor, Blossom's room. She was saying something in an agitated voice and I stopped.

"How do I tell her? What do I tell her? Should I tell her?" she muttered and paced the room.

What was the matter? What was she hiding from Aspen?

"We shouldn't tell her," Trig said, "It will break her."

What would do that?

"We can't take such a big risk."

"She deserves to know Trig! She has the right to know!"

I couldn't stop myself any more. I knocked on the door smartly, probably startling the two mentors. They looked relieved to see me, which I found a bit strange.

"What's the matter?" I asked, not bothering with formalities, "What is it that Aspen shouldn't know?"

"Nothing," Blossom replied.

"I'm her ally. You can tell me."

"We can't," Trig said firmly, "It's personal."

"But-"

"Arrington," Blossom said, her voice shaking, "I think you should go and rest. Tomorrow the Games begin."

I knew I wasn't going to get any answers if I was straightforward. So I nodded and then walked towards the lift. I knew they were watching me and so I went to my District Floor.

And then returned.

The door was closed this time again and I stayed quiet this time, listening intently.

"How do we tell her that Lee is dead?"

Lee… Lee! Aspen's brother! Dead!

"She won't believe he committed suicide," Trig replied, "So we better keep this from her."

I shoved my fist into my mouth to prevent myself from crying out. Her brother… suicide? He committed suicide…? I knew that the two loved each other more than themselves. Maybe Lee just couldn't bear the thought of Aspen's death and…

I couldn't help the tears from flowing. An innocent person had died due to the Capitol's cruelty. How would Aspen handle it? Should I tell her? I thought that I should but that Ivy inside me stopped me.

And this time she was right.

What if she jumped off her plate? Tried to kill herself? What if she couldn't do anything in the arena, or went into a shock? I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let that happen.

Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I started towards the elevator sneakily. Soon I was in my room, unable to even think about sleeping. Tomorrow I could be dead. Both of us. Reynard would betray me. maybe even kill me himself, although I sincerely he didn't hate me that much.

And Aspen, I had to keep this a secret from her now. I had to or else she would be broken by it completely, beyond repair.

I still had trouble believing that something like that happened. The way she talked about him, her brother seemed to be a strong person. Suicide was just too drastic…

I didn't know whether I would be able to sleep or not because I really needed it. Lying down on my bed, I stared at the dark ceiling. I thought about the arena, the deaths, my death, Aspen's death.

It became too unbearable. Soon, I was in a deep slumber but it was full of nightmares, the glimpses of our futures.

* * *

 **Here they are, the interviews! Very badly written but oh well. I'm too tired to change a word. I think everyone has got two POVs before the games? Anyway, do let me know your thoughts on this.**

 **Next chapter is the bloodbath…**

 **Have a great day!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Bloodbath**

* * *

 **Fynn King (17) D11M**

Here it was. The moment I had been waiting for since so long. So long. We had arrived our respective rooms, and the glass tube stood in front of me. The arena clothes were unexpected. Firstly, there were the pants, completely black and made of very thick material. My first guess was that the arena was cold. Then there was a shirt, a simple blue shirt and a full sleeved jacket of the same thick material. Gloves were there too, and I found that a little strange. However, the thing that made me truly curious was the helmet. In fact, the outfit was designed in such a way that no part of the skin would be exposed to the atmosphere.

I was given a tablet so that there would be no need to go to the bathroom for at least ten days. If the Games would proceed for longer, then they would send the tablets again.

"Attention tributes, please step onto the pedestals."

It was only now that I felt nervous. Here it was, the seventy ninth Games were about to commence.

I almost stumbled as the pedestal began its journey upwards. My heart was hammering now and I thought about all the things that could go wrong.

 _Stop._

There was no scope for fear. Neither for doubt. Slowly I rose and suddenly the pedestal stopped, the glass walls descended back, and here I was finally. In the arena.

It was… pretty. A place that girls would definitely like. There was a tree in the centre, looking as ancient and mighty as a tree could possibly look, with beautiful fruits hanging from it. I couldn't understand what fruits they were but they looked appetising. Near it, on the ground, were scattered all the things, the supplies. I saw the various weapons and the bags.

We were in a garden.

A stone pathway led to the tree from each pedestal, the lush green grass neatly moved. There was a kind of boundary made of identical stones and roses were lined along the pathway, on the boundary and near the tree. It was all very civilised.

Beyond the boundary things looked a little rough, more like a forest but there were beautiful roses dotted everywhere as well as the dense undergrowth made it look mysterious as well as lovely. I thought I saw a squirrel there too.

However, the most interesting part of the arena was the bell.

It was hanging a little away from the tree, near the boundary on the opposite, side, looking very majestic and grand. The pathways led there too and I wondered what it's purpose was. there certainly didn't seem to be anything nearby.

"Welcome to the arena, tributes," Lorenzo's voice echoed around us, "While you are within the boundary, in this garden, it's advisable that you keep yourselves covered. There are radiations present here that can melt you down instantly even if a millimetre of your skin is exposed, and none of us really want that.

"Now, before we start, allow me to make you familiar with the Deserter's Bell."

Deserter's Bell? Why did it have such a name? Unless…

"Any of you can ring this bell and come out of the arena. No harm will be inflicted on you."

What the hell?! What joke was this? What was the point of Hunger Games?!

"You can live a comfortable life nonetheless; we'll make sure of that. However, there will be consequences."

"In return of this kindness, we'll ask for a small payment from your families."

I was sure that everyone understood what he meant by a 'small payment'. It was quite cruel, and even I thought so. Giving them hope that they could go home, only to take it away… it didn't seem a very nice thing to do.

"Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour. Let the countdown begin."

* * *

 **Rowan Clear (17) D7F**

 _Thirty one._

 _Thirty._

 _Twenty nine._

The wait was killing me. Beside me, Cassidy had stumbled just a bit and all of us had thought she would fall off the plate but it didn't happen. My eyes were fixed on the cornucopia. On my right was Cassidy, looking slightly confused and very scared and on my left was Bridge, eyeing Fynn every now and then.

Was he going to take him down? If he tried it Fynn would kill him with his bare hands. I wasn't going to let it happen. Never.

 _Sixteen._

 _Fifteen._

Time was passing by too fast. My throat was going dry and I felt a dizzy on my feet. No, I had to make it far, help someone win. I couldn't die like that. I had my alliance counting on me.

 _Ten._

 _Nine._

I saw Aly tensing up. My being felt clammy. I was suffocating. It was so unfair.

 _Eight._

 _Seven._

Bridge winked at Persephone and I frowned. What had they planned?

 _Six._

 _Five._

I saw all the Careers prepare themselves to get in. Cecelia was ready to jump.

 _Four._

 _Three._

 _Two._

 _One._

And then it was a mad chaos.

Half the Careers started towards the Cornucopia whereas the others started towards the tributes. They were moving in a ring formation, preventing anyone from entering. A couple of tributes had managed to get to the cornucopia and they were trying to grab onto anything but then the Careers arrived.

I saw Reynard and Sevarian run towards the boundary instead, making sure that no weapon was coming their way. They were smart.

My allies were being detained by Fynn, fighting them all. Aly was on the ground, probably injured. Fynn kicked Asher on the chest and sent him flying away quite literally. He and Burgundy fought now, fists against fists, kicks against kicks. However, my friend was not a trained fighter. He was losing badly and I threw myself on Fynn, wrapping my arms around his neck as the two of fell. I tried to squeeze as hard as I could but he grabbed and slammed me on the ground.

That was when I saw the disk coming towards Fynn, embedding itself in the back of his neck. The boy gasped, even as the cannon sounded, and fell forward. I stared at his fallen body, the first death of the Games, and then raised my gaze to see Persephone and Bridge escape the garden, with two bags and a spear, and I felt a few chakrams too. That child killed him…

"Rowan…" Asher groaned as Burgundy helped him up. The two lifted Aly, who was probably knocked out cold.

"You too, take her out of this place!" I said.

"We're not leaving without you," Burgundy said.

Before I could say anything, Oceane had cornered us. Trident in hand, she looked dangerous.

We had literally nothing to defend ourselves with. The Career laughed as she thrust her trident towards Ash.

 _NO!_

Acting on impulse, I pushed him out of the way, even as the trident went right into my abdomen.

"Go!" I managed to scream.

Asher wasn't moving from his place but Burg pulled him along. I knew the two were crying. Never did I think that I would die in the bloodbath but it was worth it. At least Asher was alive. Aly and Burg too.

I fell down on the grass. At least the view was beautiful in my last moment.

* * *

 **Cassidy Kelly (18) D8F**

I wanted to scream and cry at the carnage round me. two people were dead already, and the sound of the cannons signifying it had been too deafening. I simply hid behind the plate because I had seen what the Careers had done. All of them had made a ring around the cornucopia, each of them armed with a weapon. There was no way on earth I, or anyone else, could manage to get anything from there.

And there was the Deserter's Bell. I was sure that everyone was tempted to go and ring it. but we couldn't. We couldn't! It made me furious and unhappy. It was the height of cruelty.

I saw Aspen and Arrington trying to go away. They had managed to secure a single small bag, as red as any of the roses here. Oceane was the only Career who wasn't in the ring formation and she knew her weapons well. She hurled her trident with all her might towards Burgundy, even as Arrington got over the boundary.

The trident went right through him.

My District Partner gave the loudest scream I had heard at the pain. I didn't even realise when I had started crying. There he was, falling on his knees. Tears strained his cheeks.

"BURG!" Asher cried, trying to pull him along, "Burg you have to hold on!"

"Go…" he said. I saw Oceane walking towards them slowly, as if there were no hurries.

"Take Aly away," Burgundy said as his life started leaving him. Asher shook his head and Burg yelled at him to leave. Asher hesitated for a while but then nodded and said something like thank you. After which he fled, Alessandra slung over his shoulders.

I saw Oceane extract her trident from Burg's body and the cannon sounded across. It was terrible. My District Partner was dead…

And then my eyes flew to Aspen. Galilee had gone to meet her and grabbed her neck and twisted it and the cannon sounded again. She laid down the girl from Eleven's body back on the grass respectfully ad then stood up, looking at Arrington, who stood across the boundary. Galilee leapt towards her but she rolled out of the way. Grabbing the bag, she fled into the forest.

The Career girl didn't follow her in. Instead she went back into the ring, Oceane joining her.

The bloodbath had obviously not ended. Cecelia attacked young Oren. He did a good job of evading her sword, but the weapon cut a piece of his jacket. I didn't want to see what would happen next for I knew it would be extremely repulsive, but I couldn't look away either.

Oren writhed in pain, his body getting jerks that were involuntary. Cecelia stepped back and gave a cry as Oren's skin started to melt. It turned a nasty shade of red and then green and then it was slowly turning into a liquid…

I looked away.

Another cannon.

I saw Aileen sneak inside, even as all the Careers were staring at Oren. Everyone was staring at his corpse, except his District Partner. Aileen took a bag and ran for it.

Bennett heard her.

He turned around and saw her trying to leave. He ran after her and soon pinioned her in his arms. He was shaking his head even as Aileen tried to struggle out of his grasp. The boy dug his gauntlet into her throat, killing her instantly.

Olympia, on the other hand, attacked Tab and soon his cannon sounded as well. Quinoa just stared at his body, not moving at all.

"You're right Lily!"

With that she ran to where Aileen was and picked the bag in a swift motion, running towards the forest. Bennett could have killed her but he didn't. He didn't.

I saw Mateo run past me, something like a scythe in his hands and nothing else. He looked at me and I was scared. Would he kill me? no, no…

With a shake of his head he went on his way.

The Garden was deserted, apart from the Careers.

Crouching low, I crept towards the stone boundary. As soon as I was near it, I leapt over it and fled.

Burg… he was dead. His face flashed in front of my eyes but I shook it away.

I wanted to get out of here alive.

* * *

 **Oh my goodness, I know it is short but… here it is. The bloodbath, and I am very upset because of it. Firstly, too many people died and secondly, it wasn't very well written. I just wanted to get it out as soon as possible.**

 **…Go and read the chapter first. Please.**

 **Eulogies:**

 **24** **th** **\- Fynn King: Fynn was an absolute delight to write, and I loved him. He was evil and was an Outer District Career and maybe that's why he wasn't very popular. He was a really good character but I didn't know what I could do for him further, so his time came. Rest in peace.**

 **23** **rd** **\- Rowan Clear: I honestly loved Rowan. Personally, I felt her reason was quite good. She was a good character and I enjoyed writing her but her time had just come. Thank you for submitting her. You still have Olympia though, and I hope you continue to read.**

 **22** **nd** **\- Burgundy Lumineer: Caleb, he was honestly one of my favourites. He had a good personality and he represented something strong and serious. I really killed him only because you offered him as a bloodbath and I thank you for that. Burgundy will be missed.**

 **21** **st** **\- Aspen Rust: Aspen was an interesting character whom I loved. I enjoyed writing her while she was there. Thank you for offering her as a bloodbath. I hope I didn't write her too badly. Rest in peace Aspen, you'll be missed.**

 **20** **th** **\- Oren: I really liked Oren more than Aly, Pine, when I got their forms. I just saw more development opportunities in Ay in comparison to Oren. However, it can't be denied that Oren was an amazing character. Thank you for offering him as a bloodbath. He will be missed.**

 **19** **th** **\- Aileen Romeri: Aileen was a great tribute, but she was hard for me to write for. I felt I could not depict her well, and I didn't want that. She had a great personality and determination which I loved. Thank you for submitting such a good character.**

 **18** **th** **\- Tab Hamasaki: Tab was a simple but very realistic person. I loved his personality and his love for his family, his friendship with Quinoa. Tab didn't deserve it but his time had simply come. Rest in peace Tab. Thank you for submitting him. You still have Perry though.**

 **If I killed your character, I swear it's nothing against you. I had to kill people here. I hope you all continue to read. However, if you don't… I don't really blame you.**

 **What are your thoughts on the bloodbath? And the arena? Are you surprised by anyone's death?**

 **Death List:**

 **Fynn King- killed by Bridge Carter**

 **Rowan Clear- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Burgundy Lumineer- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Aspen Rust- killed by Galilee Schwartz**

 **Oren Harper- killed by Cecelia Vertigo and arena radiations**

 **Aileen Romeri- killed by Bennett DeVallier**

 **Tab Hamasaki- killed by Olympia Rush**

 **Have a great day!**


	23. Chapter 23

**The First Day**

* * *

 **Asher Ravenstone (15) D7M**

"Aly! Wake up Aly! Please wake up! Please!"

The desperation of my voice seemed be drifting everywhere, mixing itself into the very atmosphere around us. Our helmets lay on the ground, Aly's head was in my lap and the uncontrollable tears fell on her face. I had lost my friends that day. They were dead. _Dead_! The word felt so unfamiliar in my mind. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that my friends could die. That someone I knew would die. But they were gone… Rowan and Burgundy were gone.

I couldn't lose Alessandra now.

My only solace at the moment was that the area outside the garden was radiation free, as promised. I had gone in as far into the forest as I could. It wasn't easy, with an intense pain in my body due to injuries and a larger one in my heart. I tried to find water, food, anything, but was met with failure only. The forest was dense and had an eerie greenish glow, but it was a… sophisticated forest? I didn't know what to say. There were flowers everywhere, the trees were thick but there were clearings too and it appeared to be quite systematic.

I'd rather have a forest like forest than this. At least there would have been some stream, pond, anything!

"Aly…!" I cried and hugged the girl. Unable to think of anything to do, I slapped her hard on the face, hoping to wake her up. That simple act brought tears to my eyes again, but Aly refused to open her eyes.

"This is not proper behaviour Alessandra!" I cried, "Just wake up…!"

I couldn't help it. My voice cracked at that.

She blinked.

That simple movement was enough to make me feel alive again. My ally was alive… my friend… for a moment I had thought that she was as good as dead but seeing her open her eyes, looking at everything in a dazed manner, reminded me to breathe again.

She sat up.

"Asher…?"

"Aly!" I cried and hugged her as tightly as I could, burying my face in the side of her neck. She didn't do anything for a moment but then I felt her arms being wrapped around me gingerly. A pat on the back, a ruffle of the hair. That was all I needed.

"Where is Rowan? And Burgundy?" she asked softly.

My smile disappeared.

What was I supposed to tell her? That our friends were dead? That I _left_ them to die? How would I tell her? I felt my heart getting heavier, burdened by the grief of our loss. What was I supposed to do?

"Asher," Aly said firmly, cupping my face in her hands. Her grip was weak, so was her voice but there was a strength in her that I needed. A strength I knew made her capable enough to bear the news.

"They are- they are- are-"

"…dead?" she asked in an even softer voice. Slowly, I nodded my head. Aly just stared at me, her eyes bleak, but she didn't cry. Lowering her gaze, she nodded too.

"Thank you for saving me," she said. I didn't know what to say to that. The truth was that both Rowan and Burg had tried to save us. I couldn't take the credit.

"They saved us," I replied.

"I wish…" she said, her voice faltering.

"Y-yeah?"

"I-I wish that the Deserter's Bell hadn't come with a catch. I- I was tempted to use it Ash."

"Anyone would, Aly," I replied, "We're humans. It is still a tempting offer."

"But," she said firmly, her face hard, her voice weaker than before, "I will not use it. Whatever happens. I will not use it."

I nodded. I didn't plan on using the bell either. I wasn't going to let any of my loved ones die. But…

… for me to go out alive, Aly would have to die. If it came to it, could I do it?

Could I live with it?

* * *

 **Olympia Rush (18) D2F**

I hadn't realised I had killed Tab until I saw the District Number in his jacket. I didn't want to think that way, but I felt… guilty. Regretful of what I did. I always knew that I had to kill in the Games but I didn't know it would be this hard. Not physically but emotionally, yes.

He had a fiancée, a daughter and so many people who loved him back home. Sure, he had to die eventually but I couldn't help but wish it hadn't been at my hands. I hoped the other deaths wouldn't be this hard, because I wanted to win. And to win, I had to kill. I needed my strength to do that.

"Olympia?"

We were still at the cornucopia, a few of us checking the supplies and the rest just resting, regaining their strengths. I was leaning against the giant tree and saw that it was Amaranth. I smiled at him as he settled down beside me.

"I-I know it's hard," he said quietly, "It's very hard. But Olympia… you are our leader. You need to stay strong or else a Career bloodbath will occur too soon for either of our liking."

I turned to him and frowned. He had a point. If any of us appeared weak… a Career bloodbath would in fact be unavoidable. And if my guess was right then Oceane would be the only one to escape it. The way she just killed two people without any kind of remorse just showed what she was capable of. She was nice and sweet, could be mean at times too, but there was more to her, a side that I didn't wish to see so soon.

"You're right," I answered, "I can't appear weak."

He smiled at me again and looked back at the other Careers. It seemed as if Victory and Cecelia were having an argument over something.

"What happened?" I asked aloud.

"There's food in this bag," Victory replied, "And I am hungry!"

"But we have to save it for later," Cecelia said, "And you're not that hungry."

I sighed in exasperation whereas Amaranth just smiled cheekily, something new, I noticed.

Their bickering continued but it soothed my nerves. It seemed normal, and after killing a person I could do with some normal.

"Victory, we can't eat anything in this garden," I told him, "If you take off your helmet…"

Oren's deformed body flashed in front of my eyes and I closed them shut. No… none of allies was going to face that. None of them!

"Guys," I said. Everybody looked at me.

"I know this won't sound right but we need to go and look for other tributes to…"

I didn't want to say the next word. "… eliminate."

"Okay," Oceane said, trident ready in hand, "But I don't think all of us should go."

"Of course, some of us have to guard the Cornucopia. What I suggest is that the boys should go tribute hunting."

None of the boys looked particularly happy with the announcement. Especially Bennett. I could understand that, since he had killed Aileen. Bennett was quite sensitive. I knew what he felt, because I was feeling the same too.

"Ben," I said with a light smile, "I think you should take a rest. I'll go with Victory and Amaranth."

He shook his head at that, gesticulating that he was okay. Galilee lowered her eyes and said, "I'll go."

I looked at her and she nodded. "I don't want to stay in this garden anyway," she added, "It's just too suffocating in this helmet."

I looked as she bent down and grabbed three daggers, small little ones even as Amaranth and Victory grabbed a spear each. They each grabbed a backpack and left for the forest. I saw them jump over the boundary, Victory being so slightly hesitant, but he still did. Soon, they had disappeared from my sight.

Something felt wrong about it. As if, as if I shouldn't have let them go alone. As if something bad was going to happen.

"At least the flowers are pretty," Cecelia said as she plucked a rose from the garden.

And all hell broke loose.

* * *

 **Arrington "Ivy" Hart (16) D10F**

The Careers didn't know that I was keeping a watch on them, hiding myself among the various trees and bushes in the forest. The cornucopia was quite clearly visible though. I saw three of them going into the woods. Luckily for me, they decided to enter from the other side. I couldn't have fought them off if they ran into me.

"At least the flowers are pretty," the girl from Five said and plucked a rose.

What happened next made me scream.

The rose started growing in her hands, the petals forming something of a cocoon, moving like a whirlwind. I heard her screams, I saw the stem growing at extraordinary speeds and trying to encase her too.

The Careers attacked the rose mutt with their weapons, but nothing seemed to be working. I was certain that Cecelia would die in that blanket of petals and thorns, both beautiful and hideous.

I was glad when Ivy took over.

Arrington had been too upset with Aspen's death, and honestly, I felt the same. However, the foolish girl was unwilling to take advantage of the havoc created on the Careers. I wasn't going to let this opportunity slip out of my hands though.

As fast as I could manage, I ran up to the tree and grabbed the biggest bag visible, along with a hatchet, and ran. I could hear the cries of the Careers, Cecelia's continuous screaming, and as I entered the forest, I stopped just to look back at the situation.

It was under control, sadly.

The Careers had managed to cut away the mutt, the petals and thorns lay scattered on the ground. As soon as they fell away, Bennett lifted her and threw her over the boundary, so that she landed outside the garden. Her breathing seemed to be ragged and I saw why the boy had done it.

Her jacket had… melted. It was literally melting right in front of my eyes. Had she stayed in the garden for a few seconds more she could have died right there.

"Are you kidding me?!" Olympia cried, "Stupid ROSES are worse than the radiations here! How does that even work?!"

Oceane went over to Cecelia with a medical kit. They had a medical kit too! Wish I could have it…

The Careers were all gathered around her. It was a good chance. I could steal more stuff from the cornucopia.

"No Ivy," I muttered, "This is enough for now."

And I fled into the woods, running among the tall trees, sunlight getting filtered into a greenish hue by passing through the leaves. It looked mystical. Truly mystical.

The forest, there was nothing too special about it. there were trees, trees and trees everywhere, with a few clearings here and there but nothing special. I wondered how sponsor gifts would arrive in the forest since it was so dense. There were a few small animals around, but not too many.

And I especially wanted to meet that Reynard. Arrington may have forgiven him, but nobody betrayed Ivy the way he did. What did he think of himself? What did he think of me?! that he would make a fool of me and I wouldn't even get back at him?! He was wrong, if that's what he thought. I would show him that nobody messed with Ivy. Nobody could mess with Ivy. He refused to be allies with me. When we'd meet, I would refuse to spare his life.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I felt Arrington pushing me aside. No…!

Personality changes were tedious. I couldn't believe that I had wished that Career to die back then. What was worse that Ivy wanted Reynard dead, and although I was angry with him; I didn't want that. I couldn't kill my District Partner, especially when I was at fault. Ivy scared me. I hoped, I hoped I wouldn't do anything wrong while she would take over. That would be horrible, and maybe I wouldn't even be able to forgive myself.

However, she did come in handy. At least I had some supplies now. At least I had a weapon. And although I was too hesitant to use it, at least it provided a sense of safety.

* * *

 **No deaths! More of a filler chapter, I guess. So, firstly, I want to thank all of you for your reviews. You all are honestly so kind. Your reviews are extremely precious, and very much appreciated, because they are what motivate me to write further.**

 **In the last chapter, I should have specified that the tributes recognised each other by their District numbers printed on their jackets and their body shapes.**

 **Also, I don't really stick to the original series. The reason is that I have a bad memory and I don't remember half of the things that happened in them. I know, I'm hopeless in that respect.**

 **So, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like the rose mutt?**

 **Have a great day!**


	24. Chapter 24

**The First Night**

* * *

 **Sevarian Vaask (16) D5M**

I still thought that heading right into the forest wasn't a good idea. Yes, Reynard had a good point, and we were both alive at the moment but what about now? Completely unarmed, without a drop of water and any kind of food, dragging ourselves through the thick undergrowth… it just didn't seem favourable to me.

"Just kill him," I thought for a second, "That will definitely get you sponsors."

But I knew I couldn't kill him, not now, not so soon. He could still be useful to me. He had to. But if not…

Suddenly the elder boy came to a stop and I bumped into him. He gave me a look and then ducked behind a tree, pulling me with him.

"What is it?" I whispered.

"There's something there," he replied, trying to see who it was.

And then I heard the ever so soft sound of someone walking, someone not very heavy. Maybe it was a mutt? I hoped not. Being utterly defenceless, I wasn't in the mood to fend off large mutations.

The sound grew louder and Reynard pulled me down even further, till we were almost lying on the ground. There were some bushes, keeping us from prying eyes. I managed to catch the sight of someone walking, slender legs, most probably a girl.

I looked up just a bit and took in only one thing. One thing that was the most important right now. Reynard observed that too and gave me a curt nod before he started groping for a stone or anything.

We had to get that bag. And the hatchet too if possible.

Many things happened at the same time.

Reynard threw his stone at the girl, who bent down, maybe something was wrong with her shoes, the stone fell beside her and startled her, when I jumped out and yanked the hatchet out of her hands.

She screamed. Looking up, I saw that it was Arrington, looking very scared as she jumped away from me. I sighed. I knew that Reynard didn't like her, but I had no idea how he would react if I used this hatchet on his District Partner.

However, I did know that he wanted the supplies as well.

"W-where is Reynard?!" she cried out.

"Look, he doesn't want to be around you," I said, "Now hand over the bag before I slice you down."

"No!" she said stubbornly, "You'd kill me anyway. I'm not going to give you the supplies."

"Hand over the bag," Reynard said in a steely voice, "Give it here Arrington."

"Why should I?!" she screamed, desperation and sadness all into her voice, "You left me! Betrayed me! Why didn't you just tell me you didn't want me as an ally, you coward?!"

He didn't respond to it and just brought his hand forward.

"You're in no position to bargain with us," he said, "Give it here. We don't want to use force."

Arrington laughed, and yet I knew it was her and not Ivy. She just stared at Reynard as if unable to believe what was happening.

"No," she said, "I won't. Anyway, I have been waiting to meet you. There are scores to be settled."

Reynard's eyes flicked to the hatchet in my hands and then towards his District Partner.

"You were from home," Arrington continued in a soft voice, "That was the only reason. The only reason I wanted to ally with you because I wanted- needed- someone from home with me. I thought you'd feel the same but I was- I was wrong. I was so wrong."

The other boy didn't say anything but matched her gaze steadily on his part. I didn't have time for all of this now though. We had to get those supplies. I lifted the hatchet and Reynard gasped. Arrington turned behind at that instance and I hit her with the handle of the hatchet with as much strength as I could.

Her eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped back onto the ground. I saw the other boy gulp but then he quickly turned her over and took the bag, slinging it across his back. With a sigh, he moved away and I joined him, running deeper into the forest. He stopped once, and I thought he might go back.

However, he just shook his head and started again, not looking back once.

* * *

 **Cecelia Vertigo (18) D5F**

It was only because Bennett acted so fast, and because the sponsors didn't think I'd disappoint, that I was alive right now. My jacket was gone, and so was the chance of getting to the cornucopia. And it felt too cold here. Too cold.

"I found a blanket there," Oceane said as she threw it over my shoulders. Her hand brushed against my neck and I blushed slightly. There was something about her that made me feel… warm. Honestly, there was a time I wasn't a fan of her, scared of her, but being so close… it felt nice.

"Thanks," I replied as she sat down beside me. We had kind of made a camp her, outside the garden. We weren't going to let go off the cornucopia no matter what.

"You feeling all right?" she asked, trident still in thought.

"Yes," I replied, just realising just how close she was. I tensed up. No way on earth was I going to tell her anything about what I was feeling but…

"I hope they are okay," I said, trying to divert the subject to the ones who had gone hunting.

"I hope so too," Oceane replied, "It's been a long while."

Vic, Amaranth, Gal, none of them had shown up there had been no cannons and even if there were, I was positive it wouldn't be for them.

"Not really," I thought, "Fynn died first. And that too at the hands of that little git."

I saw Ben and Olympia sitting a little apart from the two of us. Both were silent and Ben had a fruit from the cornucopia in his hands. He was twirling it in his hands, looking at it thoughtfully. I knew that both Ben and Olympia were worried about our allies. They should have been back by now.

"I think we should look for them," Olympia said, getting to her feet.

"What about the cornucopia?" Oceane asked.

"Don't worry. The maximum anyone can take is a bag or two."

Although I highly disagreed with this statement, I didn't voice my opinion. I just leaned back against the tree, my legs spread out and stared at her. She was pretty but not as much as Oceane, not at all.

What the hell did I just think?

"Uh, I think you three should stay here and I'll go look for them."

Bennett grabbed Olympia's wrist and pulled her towards himself.

 _We should wait for a little longer._

"Ben's right," I said, "All of us just barging through the forest- what if they came here and then found that everyone was gone? It won't be good. No, I suggest that we stay here for a little longer, and if they don't arrive here we'll set out to look for them."

"Correct," Oceane said with a smile.

Olympia shook her head. "It doesn't feel right, I feel as if there's something wrong, something bad that's about to happen."

Oceane slowly stood up, a frown on her beautiful face. I didn't like it.

"I feel so too, as if, as if they are in trouble."

"Oh come on!" I said, "It's The Hunger Games! One always feel that way here! There's nothing-"

And that was when the sound of the cannon, deafening and terrifying, echoed throughout the arena. It was too loud, and my hands went to my ears automatically.

All four of us looked at each other for a second, and then Bennett tossed me my sword and all of us marched into the forest, our weapons clutched tightly in our hands.

Of course, we were worried about our allies. I was too. But a part of me thought that if it was one of us who had died, it was for the better. One step closer to home… that's what I wanted. That's what each one of us wanted. Sure, I wanted to be loved and accepted, but I also wanted to live. I planned on doing it.

I didn't know how long we ran, or how far we went, but then there was the sound of another cannon exploded into the atmosphere, followed by an anguished cry from Olympia and all of us picked up our pace.

I wondered who died…

* * *

 **Victory Fervaix (16) D4M**

Tribute hunting wasn't something I wanted to do. Not now, not ever. And even if I wanted to, I was so useless that I couldn't actually do anything. There was no hope for me to get out of here alive, so why should I even bother?

But the three of us continued to trudge through the forest, and I was grateful that I had such thick clothing, because the environment around us was simply dangerous. Sometimes, I could hear the hissing of something that sounded suspiciously like a snake. Sometimes, it was a loud howl, definitely not human, and it was enough to chill my blood.

One thing I couldn't understand was how the other two could be so calm and collected. We took breaks often but not for long.

"Galilee," Amaranth said, almost as if he was laughing, "The way back to the cornucopia…"

I paused, dread filling me. No! I groaned. He couldn't be saying that we were lost!

"We're lost," Galilee announced.

"What the heck do you two mean?!" I cried out.

"Victory," Amaranth said with a light smile that he was failing to supress, "I know it's hard for you. We understand. But it seems that the arena is playing tricks on us-"

"It very well isn't!" Victory said, "You're bloody smiling!"

"Vic," Galilee said, "We really are lost."

And then I saw that she was serious. Very serious.

"B-but why is he smiling?!" I demanded.

"Fate," the other boy replied, "We came here to… get rid of the competition but it seems as if we can't get back now. It just seems funny."

Well, it was funny. Somewhat. But I wasn't going to admit that. Not now, when I was angry.

"Is it a joke?!" I cried angrily.

"Come on Vic," Gal said, "We'll find our way back."

I wasn't really sure about it but I wasn't in the mood to argue against that so I just nodded and started following them again.

Night approached, and we were still nowhere near the cornucopia. The forest seemed to be getting deeper and deeper and once I felt as if we really had gone in a circle. Only to return at a point again. It was frustrating. Very frustrating.

"We better get some tributes now," I muttered, "This should be useful!"

So when we heard the voices of two people, we decided that it would be for the best to follow it. Galilee pursed her lips and Amaranth frowned. It was as if he was hoping that we would find nothing. Why he wanted that, I didn't know. Of course he was gentle but still.

The voices grew louder as we sneaked forward and Amaranth waved his hand at us to tell us to halt. I squinted my eyes to catch the glimpse of the people there. It was a boy and a girl. The boy from Seven, the girl from Nine. Before we could step out, I saw the girl from Eight arrive at the scene too.

"All the weaklings," I whispered.

"Let's get them."

Before they could register what was happening, we attacked the three of them. The girl from Eight was pinned underneath me and she tried hard to throw me off but I wasn't going to let that happen. My tears clouded my vision. Was I really going to kill someone?

But there was no time to think, to feel. I had to act. Shutting my eyes, I drove my spear into her ribcage. My clothes were splattered by her blood. When I opened my eyes, I saw that hers were glassy even as the cannon rung.

I had never cried. It was too drastic. Dramatic even. But this… this wasn't right. I had killed someone.

 _Again._

So the tears flowed. Even though I tried to stop them, even though I hated them. They trickled down my cheeks. My apologies to Cassidy's corpse were in vain but I had to apologise.

However, once I had absorbed the fact that I had killed someone, the first thing I registered was that there was only one cannon. As far as I recalled, Alessandra and Asher weren't exactly strong. So…

Getting to my feet weakly, I saw that the pair from Twelve had arrived at the scene too. Persephone was fighting Galilee, and Bridge and Aly fought Amaranth, who had tossed his weapon aside.

And then there was Asher, who ran towards me in mad rage. He was unrecognisable, the way he was yelling, the way he looked willing to fight.

"I won't let you all kill anyone else!"

* * *

 **Persephone Aster (16) D12F**

I didn't remember the Gamemakers playing any trick on us and bringing us all together. It was fate, rotten fate. Why did we just walk into a clearing with three Careers? Why?!

There was no option other than to fight, to look for an opening and then run. So Bridge, who looked very scared, gathered his courage and joined the other young girl whereas I was left alone to fight the girl from One.

She was strong. And deadly. And somewhat mad even. It was in her eyes, she looked crazy, as if she could just kill about anyone. Well, of course she could. She was a Career after all. That was the sole goal of her life. To kill.

"I won't let you all kill anyone else!"

The scream, full of agony and madness, was enough to divert everyone. All of us came to a standstill as the boy from Seven threw himself on the boy from Four and tackled him down. From where he got his strength, we didn't know. But I could see him cry as he punched Victory's jaw, the other boy crying due to the guilt of killing someone and from the pain.

Amaranth grabbed his collar and yanked him away from the boy from Four and now the two fought. Asher's attacks were not planned, and didn't even look as if they would do any good but they were so fast, so disorganised and his cries were so full of agony the Career was just unable to do much harm.

Galilee aimed her knife at Asher but I attacked her then. Her knife against my shoulder when a disc came flying and cut off her hair, which now only came till her neck.

Galilee was shocked, to say the least, by feeling the chakram so close to her neck. Not for long though, because she retrieved the weapon before Bridge could have and threw it at him. It missed him narrowly…

… And hit Victory right on his forehead just as he was getting to his feet.

I saw the horror in Galilee's eyes as it dawned on her that she had killed her ally. I saw the surprise on Victory's face as he slumped backwards. I saw the way Amaranth flinched even as the blood started to seep out, draining the boy from Four's life.

And then Asher pushed him back, running towards the boy from Four. Grabbing his spear, he yanked it into Victory's stomach. The cannon rung instantly.

But Asher kept on stabbing him, yelling like a primitive mad man, oblivious to everything. His voice didn't sound like his own as he continued. I thought the Careers would do something but they didn't. they didn't even try. The boy from Two looked as if he would faint on the spot, his eyes fixed on the blood. The girl from One just stared, tears finally falling down her cheeks. She had killed her own ally. And then there was the girl from Nine, who was on her knees, her hands limp beside her. Then she got up and tried to pull Asher away, but he didn't budge. He didn't.

I felt something tug at my hand. I looked down to see Bridge, who nodded at me.

It was time to go.

I nodded back and we set off in the opposite direction. Looking back, I saw that Asher had attacked the boy from two as well, even though the girl from Nine tried to pull him away. The fifteen-year-old was ready to take on the two Careers. Bridge saw it too and then threw a disc, which he had retrieved from Victory's body although I had no idea how. The disc flew towards the remaining tributes, but we didn't stop to wait and see. Hopefully, it would hit one of the Careers.

A cannon sounded and I looked back, my breathing hitched. I felt like crying now, because he didn't deserve it. He simply didn't.

Amaranth and Galilee had almost killed Asher…

… But Bridge's chakram did the job.

* * *

 **I know it's late. At least I feel that it's late. Anyway, I know a lot of tributes died here, and honestly it was so hard. In fact, this time I just don't want to kill anyone… I love them all so much and I am honestly so confused but the killings have to happen so…**

 **On another note, 250 reviews?! Really?! Thank you all so much! You don't know how much happiness it gave me. That's a big achievement for me. Thank you all so much.**

 **Eulogies:**

 **17** **th** **\- Cassidy Kelly: Crystal, Cassidy was someone I really liked. However, from the time I had gotten her form, I knew she won't make it far. It just seemed as if her time had come. Initially she was going to be a bloodbath but that didn't happen. Just please know that I really liked her and she was fun to write. Rest in peace Cassidy.**

 **16** **th** **\- Victory Fervaix: Victory! I know he didn't last long, but I'll be honest with you Brooke, he was one of my favourites. The polls just weren't in his favour. Victory was a complex character, although you created him for irony. His form was great and his character was just amazing. Rest in peace Vic.**

 **15** **th** **\- Asher Ravenstone: This was not supposed to happen actually. I liked Asher, although many of you didn't. his childishness was something I adored, his innocence something I cherished. His character was also a really good one, and I felt horrible writing his death, but it had to be done. You will be missed Asher.**

 **Death List:**

 **Fynn King- killed by Bridge Carter**

 **Rowan Clear- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Burgundy Lumineer- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Aspen Rust- killed by Galilee Schwartz**

 **Oren Harper- killed by Cecelia Vertigo and arena radiations**

 **Aileen Romeri- killed by Bennett DeVallier**

 **Tab Hamasaki- killed by Olympia Rush**

 **Cassidy Kelly- killed by Victory Fervaix**

 **Victory Fervaix- killed by Galilee Schwartz and Asher Ravenstone**

 **Asher Ravenstone- killed by Galilee Schwartz, Amaranthine Carteret and Bridge Carter**

 **If I kill your character, please know it's nothing against you. I love all the characters I have got. If I had my way, all these people would be in a pool party. But I can't have my way here.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed. Updates might be sporadic from now on although I'll try my best not to delay them too much. Please share your thoughts on the chapter.**

 **Have a great day!**


	25. Chapter 25

**The Second Day**

* * *

 **Mateo Dorsani (15) D9M**

Water.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind when I woke up.

The second thought that came to mind that we were already in top fourteen, in just a day. A few of the deaths were so unexpected, especially since two Careers died. Who would have thought that? Not me, but this only showed that Careers weren't invincible.

The third thing that crossed my mind was how stiff I felt. Groaning as I got up, I dragged myself to the nearby pond. Yes, I was lucky enough to have found a pond in the middle of nowhere. This part of the forest was pretty much deserted, and the foliage wasn't quite as thick as it had been elsewhere. There had been roses around though, and I was wary of them. White roses at that. The ones back at the cornucopia were red, and I wondered if these were regular flowers and not something else. But that wasn't my concern now. The water was clean. How, I didn't know. But I was grateful, although I knew there was nothing to be grateful of.

When I felt considerably cleaner than before, and when I had quenched my thirst, I took hold of my scythe and set off. I had to kill someone. If not then I wouldn't get sponsors, and I needed supplies, especially food. Thinking of food only made me want to stop and lie down. It had been so long…

So when I bumped into a tree, at the foot of which were the white roses, it was no surprise that I wanted to scream and cry in agony and frustration. My head hurt, and my legs were rebelling against the tedious walk. There was also something that nudged against my feet.

"Not insects," I groaned and looked down.

I wished it had been insects instead.

The roses' petals seemed to… elongate like a rope and were playfully wrapping themselves around my feet. I cut them away with my scythe but they only exploded on contact, giving off white fumes and an intoxicating odour.

 _Maybe they are poisonous._

That wasn't a good thought and so I scrambled back, trying to hurry towards the pond. Maybe water would help. I didn't know but I was aware of the gradually rising restlessness and anxiety I felt. I blinked and suddenly the entire place had turned red, as if a volcano had just erupted. The grass was black and dead, the flowers withered.

"NO!" I cried out, swinging my scythe at any plant like thing that came near me. I didn't even know what I was doing. I shut my eyes and opened them again, only to see that the dead trees were on fire. The flames were huge and reached up into the sky, hugging the dark, orange clouds. There were _no_ clouds.

"What's happening?!" I cried out, tears leaking out of my eyes although I didn't want them to. I still kept running, the flames coming towards me every once in a while and, having no idea what to do, I simply swung my scythe at them.

I thought that I reached the pond but I was so wrong. So very wrong.

Instead of water, there was lava in it, and gigantic bubbles rising every few seconds. There was just nothing else. No water, no trees, no plants, no life apart from me. And that wasn't going to last very long.

I dropped my scythe in fear. Gasping, I looked down, only to see that the scythe was turning red too. My clothes seemed to be melting, my helmet even. I fell on my knees. There was nothing to do. Nothing at all. No way was I going to get out alive. I cried, and even the ears felt to be small balls of fire. There was nothing to do…

 _What if this isn't real?_

I shook my head. How could it not be real? I could feel it! the fire… it was burning everything away…

 _That's the thing. You can feel it. it's a hallucination._

"It can't be!" I cried out, "It's all happening! What am I-?!"

And that was when I saw a girl, her hair flowing behind her, running away from me, trying to hide. Fire… she was on fire, she was burning up and running. She could kill me…

No, I wasn't going to let that happen.

Taking my scythe, I ran towards her and swung the weapon with all my strength, taking out a large length of her fiery hair. Her eyes were demented, completely hollow, and her teeth… that's what they were. There was no skin. No jaw. Only teeth.

"NOO!"

* * *

 **Quinoa Callus (13) D3F**

"Lily-"

"Come on Quinoa!" she said, "We can't stay here. These roses are dangerous!"

"No they aren't," I replied with certainty, "They are just flowers."

"There are no _just flowers_ in the arena!" Lily barked, "You saw your allies die."

That sentence was enough to make me feel weak in the knees. My face paled and I gulped. My allies… Tab, Oren, they were all dead…

"Nothing is nice here," Lily continued in a much gentle voice, "Don't touch the flowers. Don't touch anything."

"They l-look harmless and…"

My voice faltered. I couldn't argue with Lily; she was always right. I stared at her for a few seconds then started on my way and she followed. I didn't want to be reminded of Tab. This time yesterday he was alive. The way he had just fallen down, completely limp… I didn't want to fall down like that. I wanted to go back home and help the schizophrenic person that mummy was so worried about.

The forest was getting thinner as we walked. A part of me thought that this wasn't supposed to happen. Were we getting closer to the garden? I shuddered at the thought. I didn't want to be anywhere near that place. It was horrible, with even more horrible monsters. My friends had died there. There had been so much blood…

"I don't think we are near the cornucopia," Lily said matter-of-factly, "Maybe we are reaching the end?"

"You said that there's no end to the arena!" I argued, "This is not done!"

"I am not talking about the arena either. Maybe it's the end of the forest. Maybe there's something beyond it."

"I don't think so," I replied, "What could possibly be there beyond the forest?"

Lily didn't reply at that, only barked and then ran forward again. I followed and we continued. It wasn't easy though. The hunger pangs… they were killing me. I needed to eat. In fact, I felt that I could eat Lily if I had to, I was just that hungry. My speed lessened considerably. Air… food… water…

"Stop!" I cried out.

Lily came to a halt at that. "What?"

"I… tired…"

"Quinoa-"

A loud scream was heard at that moment. It scared me and startled my friend too, who took a dive at the nearby tree. The cries continued, someone was saying something but I couldn't make them out. All I knew was that someone was in trouble, someone needed help. I had to help them. That's what mummy and papa had taught me, hadn't they? Help those who need it. And this person really sounded as if they could do with some assistance.

"RUN BACK!" Lily yelled and then snapped at my ankles.

"We can't," I argued, "Somebody needs my help."

"Quinoa-" Lily started but I didn't heed. For the first time I didn't listen to Lily and just ran towards the sound. Lily cried after me to stop but I didn't.

In the distance I saw a boy with a scythe in his hand. He was on his knees, crying. I ran towards him but then Lily overtook me and hissed, "Get away!"

She started to pull at my leg and then I followed her in defeat, still wanting to help the poor boy. She forced me to hide and I tried to do so behind the trees. However, the boy saw me. I didn't like the look in his eyes and speeding up seemed to be a better option, so I tried to run as fast as my legs and lungs would allow.

Very soon he was at me though, and he swung that scythe of his, cutting off my hair. All of it. my beautiful hair.

"NO!" he screamed and then used his weapon again. I tried to duck but it went right into my abdomen. I gasped, looking down at the blade, coated with my blood. It hurt so much! I was crying and then I called out for Lily. As I dropped to my knees, I saw my best friend turn and run into the forest, leaving me alone for the first time in my life.

The boy stared at me with wide eyes, as if unable to believe that he killed me. I couldn't believe it too. However, it was a welcome relief when I closed my eyes and the cannon sounded.

Because it didn't hurt anymore.

* * *

 **Oceane Cascade (17) D4F**

Victory was dead. Dead. Just like that, killed like a bug. He was dead.

Why did it hurt so much? Why did I feel like crying and cuddling in a corner just at this news? Shouldn't I be happy that I was a step closer to home? Then why was I not happy? Why did I feel so devastated?

On top of that we were unable to find Galilee and Amaranthine. We were unable to find our way back to the garden. It seemed as if trees had just moved in such a way to cover the way back. It only intensified my anger.

"Where the hell are they?!" I cried out in rage, punching the tree in front of me. It hurt, it hurt a lot, but it was worth it. at least there was something else to focus on.

"No idea," Cecelia replied in a tensed voice, "I hope we find them soon though."

And yes, there was another trouble. The girl from Five. I didn't like the way she had looked at me the previous day. Did she like me? I hoped not. I sincerely hoped not. The arena was not a place to do such things. It was a deadly place and one had to remember that. I wasn't going to voice my thoughts though. Not now, not in front of everyone. I didn't want to embarrass her.

"These stupid trees," Olympia muttered as she cut her way through the branches and leaves, all tangled up to make a twisted structure. How could anything be so damn tangled?! The thick branches, lined with minute thorns, tried to tear away our suits and cut our faces.

Bennett decided to put his helmet back on. I didn't want to do it because it was too hot, but I followed him anyway. Better to sweat a bit than to bleed from your face.

"I hope that they're not in a deeper trouble," Olympia muttered as she ran ahead as fast as she could, looking more worried than I'd ever seen her. Angrier too. Maybe it was because Amaranth was missing as well…

Bennett suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back with an intense force and gestured at us to become quiet. All of us came to a standstill, trying to listen to what Bennett had heard. Nothing. There was nothing at all.

"Ben-"

He waved his hand at me to make me quiet and then gesticulated wildly, as if trying to warn us of something. I couldn't understand what he meant though. I was about to snap at him to spit it out before I recalled that he _couldn't_ spit it out. It certainly seemed to be more unfortunate for us than for him. This sign language thing was just hard.

"Oceane!" Cecelia whispered, "Something's slithering."

Slithering?

Olympia's eyes widened and then she gave a loud, blood chilling scream, one I wouldn't forget ever. I turned around, along with the other two, and couldn't help it.

I screamed.

As fast as we could, we ran, running into trees, into grass, into each other. Didn't matter. Nothing did, other than escaping from the monster that was after us. It was so huge that its shadow covered us yet and we could never keep a safe distance from it.

Cecelia stumbled and was on her knees.

"No!" Olympia cried in frustration and ran back to her, helping her to get to her feet. Bennett just stood and watched, perhaps waiting for them, but I pulled him away and we ran, the other two quite behind us now.

"We need to worry about ourselves first," I panted. I needed to stop, I needed air. My legs were aching. I stopped to catch my breath for a second and looked back at the snake, almost twenty feet long, slow like a snail, and as green as the grass on which we were standing. Its tongue was long and dotted with red spots, which made me want to throw up. Its eyes were as red as the blood of the bravest. I didn't want to admit it, but it was very scary.

And currently it had almost caught up with our two allies. Bennett reached for his kunai knife and aimed. I wanted to yell at him to run but I knew it would be no use.

The knife flew and hit the snake right into the eye.

That startled the brute and it started trembling violently. Not a good thing when a snake did that. At least the other two got ample amount of time to get to us.

"We'll have to separate!" Olympia said as we ran. We didn't have much time, for the snake had resumed its hunt again.

"Separate?" Cecelia said indignantly.

"We'll try to meet back at the cornucopia," Olympia replied.

Without any more discussion we went different ways, in four different directions. Surely it would confuse the brute. I could now run straight, or hide, and I didn't know why but hiding seemed to be a better option. So I was soon up in a really leafy tree, covered from sight.

It seemed the snake had decided not to follow me.

I sighed in relief. I didn't want to die so soon. Die at all, actually. I wondered who it had gone after ad I was sad that they may die.

But it was overshadowed by the relief of being alive.

* * *

 **Short, I know. So, what do you think of this chapter? I personally didn't find it very good, didn't write it well but… Still. I hope you enjoyed. Although I am sad. However… we're in the top thirteen. I can't believe it, honestly.**

 **Eulogies:**

 **14** **th** **: Quinoa Callus- Loved Quinoa. Honestly, she was adorable. I especially liked Lily because of how intelligent she was. I had seen schizophrenic tributes before, but Quinoa was different from them all. I just felt her time had come, and it seemed like a good opportunity to further Mateo's character. Rest in peace Quinoa and Lily, you both will be missed.**

 **Death List:**

 **Fynn King- killed by Bridge Carter**

 **Rowan Clear- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Burgundy Lumineer- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Aspen Rust- killed by Galilee Schwartz**

 **Oren Harper- killed by Cecelia Vertigo and arena radiations**

 **Aileen Romeri- killed by Bennett DeVallier**

 **Tab Hamasaki- killed by Olympia Rush**

 **Cassidy Kelly- killed by Victory Fervaix**

 **Victory Fervaix- killed by Galilee Schwartz and Asher Ravenstone**

 **Asher Ravenstone- killed by Galilee Schwartz, Amaranthine Carteret and Bridge Carter**

 **Quinoa Callus- killed by Mateo Dorsani**

 **So… who do you think will die next? Will the snake be able to kill any of the Careers, or are they all safe? Also, who do you THINK will win? Not who you want to, but who you think it will be. Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **Have a good day!**


	26. Chapter 26

**The Second Day**

* * *

 **Bennett DeVallier (18) D1M**

Despite running in two different directions, Cecelia and I still managed to bump right into her. We stared at each other for two precious seconds before taking off again. She slipped again but then got up. There was a tree in front of me, with wide and strong branches, and small little flowers, that were not roses, near the foot of the trunk. Taking a careful dive, I reached out for the lowest branch and soon I was up in the tree, much higher than I would like to be.

Then I remembered that I had to help Cecelia up as well.

"Bennett!" she cried out, "Help me up please!"

I nodded and then slowly started descending. I was too high up, and I had not even noticed when I was climbing up.

I froze in midway.

The snake's ugly green head soon appeared and Cecelia shrieked and took off. I thought the snake would attack me and I slowly pulled myself back on the branch from which I was hanging. Taking care not to move, or to make any sound, I stared at the giant brute in fear. If it managed to hit me even accidently then I would die in less than two seconds.

Perhaps it didn't notice me.

I watched in horror as it slithered towards Cecelia with a new found speed, opening its mouth and revealing its fangs. What happened next was almost in slow motion. There happened to be no way across except going straight, and right ahead of her there was a tangle of trees and bushes and all other vegetation. She tried to cross it but the snake had caught up.

Opening its mouth wide, it gulped her.

The cannon rung after almost three seconds.

The snake hissed and then slithered ahead, using its fangs to get rid of the obstacles in its path, its long tail moving behind. I blinked.

There was no way my heart could beat against my chest so wildly. There was no way a person could die in such a way. But it had happened, and in spite of myself I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't go out that way. Then came the rage that _how_ could anyone be so cruel to let someone die in such a manner for entertainment?! And lastly came the self-loathing.

Maybe I could have saved her. I didn't try. Never did. I should have tried. I had the weapons, I had the aim. But I was too… cowardly to save her.

In the back of my mind I could hear Adrian's voice, chiding me for thinking this way, telling me that I had come here to win. But I didn't care. I had let someone die in this manner. It was wrong. I could- should- have saved her. Done something! Maybe people were right… maybe I was useless because of my disability…

 _Stop it Ben!_

But no matter how much I yelled at myself, the truth would remain the truth. Maybe I did deserve the bad treatment I received back in One.

I didn't know for how long I stayed up in that tree, contemplating on my own uselessness and self-hate, but then a thought struck me, a thought so obvious that it should have dawned on me long ago.

I was separated from all of my allies. Every single one of them.

And I had no idea in what way I should go to arrive at the cornucopia. I didn't even know how far I had come. All I had was a small bag, gauntlets and kunai knives. I doubted these would be enough to last long. Suddenly I was aware of how thirsty I was too. Too thirsty, in fact. My mouth had never been this dry.

I doubted the situation was in my favour.

* * *

 **The Second Night**

 **Galilee Schwartz (18) D1F**

"Amaranth? Are you okay? Amaranth!"

I didn't know that his blood phobia was this severe. When Asher had died he kind of… broke down. Not really but he looked ready to pass out and did nothing to attack Alessandra, who took this opportunity to escape.

And then he did pass out.

Not for long, not for long. Maybe for thirty minutes? Twenty? Maybe an hour? It didn't seem that long though. And when he did wake up he looked so embarrassed that I thought he would pass out again.

"Sorry," he had muttered.

But now, due to this excessive heat and thirst, he looked a little weak again. He had asked me to stop for a while so that we could recover and get rested but his face betrayed him. He looked tired. So I agreed. But now, the sun had gone down, there had been two cannons already. We were in the final twelve. Anyway, I needed to wake him up, but I didn't want to. He looked so peaceful…

He stirred.

"Amaranth?"

"Y-yeah…" he groaned and then turned on his side, cuddling in something of a ball as if he was scared. This was a side of him I had never seen. I didn't think anyone had. He looked like a child, one that he was supposed to be.

"Ama…" my voice faltered. No, I'd wake him later.

I leaned against the tree trunk under which we were resting and closed my eyes, holding his hand gently. To my surprise he squeezed my hand and tightened his grip. Lazily opening my eyes, I glanced at him and then smiled, before squeezing his hand back. Maybe a little rest wouldn't be that bad…

So when very light footfalls of some night creature was heard, my body decided to ignore it. my brain was yelling at me to get up and run but it was as if I was paralysed or something but I couldn't move. Sleep…that's what I wanted right now. I was tired. Too tired… an earthquake couldn't move me then. All I wanted to do was sleep.

I opened my eyes and tried to hoist myself up but couldn't. It just seemed impossible, I didn't want to get up. How bad could it be anyway? Maybe it was an owl. Yeah… it could be an owl. Nothing else, no need to worry, go back to sleep…

Something like a wolf seemed to be charging at me. Ah, the dreams one could get. So this wolf thought it could beat me, a trained Career? "Bring it on," I wanted to say but no words left my mouth. This was a dream after all… No need to worry. Just relax.

I felt something like a spear flying past me. The dream was vivid; I saw Amaranth fight three wolves with his spear single-handedly. It was quick, very quick. He was cringing at the sight of blood, trembling a bit even, but then I saw him come towards me.

"Wake up Gal," he said in his beautiful voice. Such a beautiful voice, I loved it so much, wanted to hear it all the time. I shook my head and tried to smile but I didn't think I managed it. and then he had lifted me in his strong arms and flung me over his shoulders and ran. Why was he running? We were safe, all was safe. And he had fought so well! Deserved his scores alright, he did.

It wasn't a surprise when I heard the _chime_.

Anyone would want to sponsor him. He was opening the package and I stared. So tired… so very tired… His beautiful face faded from my vision and then everything was dark.

It was definitely a nice dream.

* * *

 **Bridge Carter (12) D12M**

Was it just me or did Perry really not trust me anymore?

She always kept a distance from me and didn't speak much. Sure, she hadn't betrayed me but still… I liked her company. I wanted to be friends with her. I wanted to do things for her, she had been better to me than my family ever was. but I also wanted to live safely, and I wanted her to live as well. Strange, wasn't it? I loved her like I loved Shelly, and I wanted both my friends to be happy.

At the moment, however, I was hating the fact that she was ignoring me so blatantly. I didn't like being ignored… that was one of the reasons behind the 'accident'. But I couldn't do that to Perry, not even if I wanted to. After all, she cared for me. it would be right if I did so too.

"Bridge…" she said suddenly, "I have to talk to you."

"Yeah?" I asked enthusiastically. At least now she wouldn't ignore me!

"Why did you volunteer?"

I straightened my face, the smile vanished and I frowned.

"I told you," I replied, "I… stole something precious. Something precious from dad. I couldn't face anyone."

"What did you steal? Tell me Bridge!"

I took in a deep breath. I had to let her know. How long could I fool her anyway?

"The thing for which each one of us is fighting here."

"What the ***!" she exclaimed, jumping away. I lowered my gaze, this had been expected. Anyone would be scared of a twelve-year-old murderer.

"Y-y-you…?"

"Yes…" I answered slowly, "I-I didn't have any c-control. I j-just had t-to do it. The w-way F-Fynn…"

"Go."

"Perry-"

"DON'T YOU DARE UTTER MY NAME FROM THAT FOUL MOUTH OF YOURS!" she bellowed, "I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE EVER AGAIN BRIDGE! GET LOST!"

"I-I deserve that Perry and I-"

"Deserve that?! You deserve much worse Bridge! That's why you were so calm while killing Fynn! While you threw the disc back at the Careers! I- you- just go away!"

With that she shoved my discs in my hand pushed me away. I stared at them sadly. It would have been better to be ignored than this…

"Why don't you use that?" she demanded, "When you could be so horrible to your father, why don't you use that on me?!"

It was my turn to get mad now.

"He never cared!" I shrieked, "Never! I was a nuisance, a burden on him! So I didn't care either! How can you even think that'll kill you?!"

"Why the *** can't you?!"

"I will never do that to you, you idiot! You are a friend! I don't do such things to friends! I can never kill you even if I'd want to!"

"Leave Bridge. Just leave."

"Perry-"

"Don't."

I nodded, tears leaking from my eyes. I deserved the hate I received from her. I should leave.

"Bye Perry-"

"It's Persephone for you."

I nodded. "Yes," I said, "Persephone. Goodbye, and good luck. I hope that if I can't get back home, you do."

She didn't say anything and just walked away. I stood where I was, staring at her retreating form. A part of me was angry at her for treating me this way, and it was this part of me that wanted to use one of my discs on her. But I couldn't, even if I'd wanted to. She had done for me a whole lot more than I could have asked.

And then her form disappeared from my view. Not once did she turn back and my shoulders slumped. The next moment I was huddled up and crying, literally crying. Wailing and tears and screaming and all. I didn't care about the wild animals, or even worse, the tributes, that could hear me. I could take down all of them. But I wanted my friend. I wanted to hug her now…

A small hand squeezed my shoulder and I jumped up, startled. Was it Perry? But the hand was too small to be hers…

I turned around, discs ready in hand, only to face Alessandra, staring at me through bleak lidded eyes.

"Your chakram killed my ally," she said, her voice sounding very forced. Her expression was blank, as if she couldn't feel anything.

"It was for the Two boy," I answered honestly, "I didn't know it would hit Asher…"

"I know."

We stared at each other for a while and then she suddenly wiped my tears. I couldn't take it anymore. Dropping all of my discs, I hugged her.

She stood there awkwardly for a few seconds but then wrapped her arms around me even as I cried in her shoulder.

"Why are you crying?" she asked, her voice devoid of any emotion, "Where's your ally?"

"We got separated," I replied, "I-I am scared…"

Neither of these was exactly a lie.

"We can be allies, if you want?" she asked. I saw that she was crying too. Maybe she was missing her friends…

"Okay," I replied and tried to smile. But failed.

She nodded and then bent down to help me collect my chakrams and put them in the bag. I stared at her for a second.

Maybe I was lucky. Maybe fate didn't want me to die…

* * *

 **Shorter than before… Wow. Anyway, I know this wasn't much, but I hope you enjoyed it still. We're in the final twelve already, so I guess I need to slow down that death rate? Hmm, maybe. Let's see. So congratulations to the final twelve!**

 **Eulogies:**

 **13** **th** **: Cecelia Vertigo- Cecelia was… interesting. I enjoyed writing for her, and she was different than most other tributes that I had got. Of course, she was intended to be a career but couldn't really make it in, sorry for that. Her personality was really nice and she was a really good character, one whom I really liked to write for. Rest in peace.**

 **Death List:**

 **Fynn King- killed by Bridge Carter**

 **Rowan Clear- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Burgundy Lumineer- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Aspen Rust- killed by Galilee Schwartz**

 **Oren Harper- killed by Cecelia Vertigo and arena radiations**

 **Aileen Romeri- killed by Bennett DeVallier**

 **Tab Hamasaki- killed by Olympia Rush**

 **Cassidy Kelly- killed by Victory Fervaix**

 **Victory Fervaix- killed by Galilee Schwartz and Asher Ravenstone**

 **Asher Ravenstone- killed by Galilee Schwartz, Amaranthine Carteret and Bridge Carter**

 **Quinoa Callus- killed by Mateo Dorsani**

 **Cecelia Vertigo- killed by snake mutt**

 **Did you find anything unexpected in this chapter? Was it too boring? Hmm, maybe. Did you think that Bridge's and Perry's alliance would break so soon?**

 **Also, in Galilee's POV, she has not been drugged by flowers or anything. What she was seeing and thinking was a dream was actually happening in reality. She couldn't move only due to exhaustion and dehydration. I don't know whether it has happened to anyone here before, but I have faced that, and it was fun and so I decided to include it. :D**

 **Have a great day!**


	27. Chapter 27

**The Third Day**

* * *

 **Reynard Ciervo (18) D10M**

Would sponsoring us with some water kill the Capitolites?

The lack of it would certainly result in my end.

"I c-can't…" I whispered as Sevarian shook me, trying to wake me up. I didn't want to wake up. The thirst would be worse if I did, and I had no desire to face it.

"Reynard, take a sip," his voice drifted to my tired ears.

Take a sip?

I opened my eyes warily, only to shut them back. The morning light was too bright. Too blinding. I turned around and then opened my eyes, only to be met by the scene of the horrible green grass.

"Wh-what happened?" I groaned.

"Sponsor gifts," Sevarian replied, "Here take a sip."

And when I had the bottle in my hand, for a couple I could do nothing but stare at it and then the liquid was slowly moving down my throat. It was life. Really, nothing had ever tasted as good as water did at that time.

"Thanks," I said, passing it to him and watched as he drank again. Maybe we should have saved some but then I saw that there was another bag on the ground apart from our own. I pulled it towards myself and rummaged through it. There were three more bottles, and lots of fruits. And wafers. And a rope. A torch too.

"Nice," I said, pleased with the things in it. The bag we had taken from Arrington had a sleeping bag, a blanket and a small of first aid kit. We had plenty of supplies for now.

"I think we should move," Sevarian said, flinging the larger bag on.

I nodded and then forced myself on my feet. Now I was cursing myself. There had been no need to sleep so much. I hadn't been alert. Sevarian could have killed me in my sleep… And I wouldn't even know. The thought was too terrible. No, I couldn't take the chance. Not anymore. We were in the final twelve. Top ten, and then I would depart. It wasn't safe, not at all.

As we walked, I felt as if the forest was thinning, the place looked vaguely familiar. I had seen it a long time back. Well not really but it felt like that. Wait…

We were out of the forest, in front of the garden.

The tree, which was the cornucopia, loomed over us, all majestic in its ancient glory. There was nobody present there.

"Where are the Careers?" he asked.

"Maybe they have gone… hunting," I replied with distaste.

"Should we take it over?" he asked. I saw the greed in his eyes and that was not good.

"No," I said, "That isn't a good idea. They can return any time."

"Two of them are dead," he retorted, "I say this is a good chance to gain power and make sure that our chances of survival are greater than they are."

I pursed my lips. Too much greed was never a good idea but I could clearly see what was on his mind. I nodded.

"Alright," I replied and put on my helmet. I didn't like it, it felt as if I was suffocating in it. I saw Sevarian do the same and then the two of us ran towards the cornucopia. The first thing I did was to drop my hatchet and lift the slender sword. I used it better, having spent some good amount of time training with it during the training days. Then I started sorting through the stuff, trying to find things with which I could make a decent trap.

Sevarian had relaxed a lot and was now sitting under the tree, examining the throwing knives.

I knew we couldn't stay there for long. I had to be ready. And just as I thought so, they arrived at the spot.

* * *

 **Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F**

Bridge's presence was comforting, to say the least. He cracked the worst jokes at the worst times and made me laugh when I wanted to cry. He himself looked sad and I understood why, but he tried to not let it show.

I couldn't believe he had killed two people already.

And now he was dragging me along, trying to find water. I was too weak to move, clinging to him as tightly as I could. "Stop…" I groaned, "I can't move…"

"Hold on," he said in his shrill voice, "We- we will find something."

"No!" I said.

"Aly," he said, "The cornucopia is close."

I stopped.

"Bridge," I said, "We can't do it. what if the Careers are there, again? After Asher…"

"Do not worry," he replied and the very next moment he had his chakram in his hand. I didn't like the way he looked at it. It was… manic.

"No Bridge. We can't-"

"Aly," he said, "We can't go on without food and water forever. I am sure that we'll find something at the cornucopia."

"I know we will," I said in exasperation. It was already getting too hard to speak, to do anything. My throat was too dry…

"But there are trained killers there, Bridge. We, we don't stand a chance!"

"As long as I am heeereee

"Do not feeearrrr

"Anyone who comes neeeearrrr

"I will teeearrrr."

Despite myself, I laughed. He was so adorable! Even when holding a deadly weapon, more than ready to kill others, he managed to cheer me up. His songs! I laughed.

"I love your songs man," I said and he grinned. For a second I thought that he turned red in his childish embarrassment and I gave him a hug. He giggled nervously but then it faltered when I spoke in his ears.

"Don't do it Bridge. Don't."

"Stay here Aly," he said, "I'll bring something for you. Don't worry."

And with that he shoved me to the side. I fell down on my elbow, giving a cry of pain as he muttered a hasty apology and then ran. No, I wasn't going to let him go off alone, not where all those dreadful Careers had made their hub.

"Bridge! Bridge!" I called after him, putting on my helmet simultaneously. My voice was muffled after that but that didn't bother me much. And soon, I was there, standing at the edge of the forest, staring at people I had not expected to be present.

There were Sevarian and Reynard in one side, Bridge stood a little ahead of me, discs in hand, and then there was Arrington on the other end, near the Deserter's Bell. She looked mad, angry. Her eyes were bloodshot and I could see that she was trembling, possibly from rage. Not good. Not good at all.

"Bridge!" I said, "Let's leave."

"Well, why are you here?" Sevarian asked.

"We're not here to fight," Bridge said, "We're here only because we don't have supplies. No food. No water. please, just let us take one bottle, only one. This thirst is unbearable now."

"Ha!" Arrington, no Ivy, said and then laughed, "Wrong place kid! You can't expect any kind of help from these rascals! They'll kill you. It's better you leave!"

"I'm not leaving," Bridge replied, "I will use force if I have to but I don't want to. So please. Just one bottle."

"Use force?" Sevarian asked. From his voice I could sense he was smirking. No…

"Yes."

"What will you do? Throw those discs at us?"

"Yes."

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, Bennett made his entry into the garden, and was standing behind Ivy, who jumped back at the sound of his approach.

"Very well," she said, "Now since we are all gathered here, let's start the party."

"Ivy-" Reynard started.

"Don't you dare say my name!" she cried, "Don't!"

For what seemed like an eternity we all just stood there silently, staring at each other, but then Sevarian threw his knife at Ivy, who rolled out of the way, and the knife hit Bennett. He wasn't injured too much because of the thick jacket but then the boy from Five threw his knife at the roses around Ivy's feet.

"No!" his ally cried even as the knife hit the roses around both her and Bennett's feet.

What happened next was gruesome.

The petals, the leaves, the thorns, they all started forming a cocoon around the two. They screamed, and it was the most haunting voice I had heard. Ever. Slowly, very slowly, the flowers encased the two, and soon even the screams couldn't be heard. All that was heard were two cannons in a row, echoing in the place, frightening everyone to the root.

Bridge didn't stop.

During all the chaos, he had retrieved a bag for me and pulled me along, thrusting it in my hands. From the corner of my eye, I saw Reynard take off in the opposite direction, while Sevarian stayed where he was. he had two kills to his credit now, he had no reason to worry.

And in an instance, lots of things happened. First came the sound of Amaranthine and Galilee, then Bridge shoved me behind some bushes roughly, and a spear went right through his left arm. His right hand moved to throw the chakram with a lot of force but Amaranthine ducked the move…

… And the chakram hit the Bell.

* * *

 **Amaranthine "Amaranth" Carteret (16) D2M**

The sound of the Bell was loud enough to cause an earthquake. Or do something worse.

The giant thing moved to and fro in its place, and Bridge gave a scream of anger and desperation, along with a cry of unfathomable pain.

"Tributes! No fighting!"

Lorenzo's voice filled the arena, even as I saw a hovercraft descend into the garden. Bridge shook his head as two men in suits like ours marched towards him.

"NO!" he cried, "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! I DIDN'T USE THE BELL!"

"Accident or not, kid," one of the men said, "You are coming with us to the Capitol. And then you'll be going home."

"NO!" Bridge yelled as his discs were snatched away and he was forcefully being dragged away, towards the hovercraft. He struggled and struggled, trying to do all he could. The Bell still rang, sounding too much like the knell, and then Bridge was thrown into the hovercraft.

"BRIDGE!"

I turned to see Alessandra running towards us. In a swift motion she grabbed his discs and then jumped on top of me.

"Miss Farro! Stop Miss Farro!"

"You did this to Asher! You almost killed Bridge! YOU ATTACKED FROM BEHIND!" she cried, her voice not sounding like a thirteen-year-old girl anymore. It was hoarse and loud, broken and almost as if she was choking on her voice. "YOU WILL NOT GET OUT ALIVE!"

Galilee forced her off me and the younger girl kneed her in the stomach and then slashed at her stomach with the disc. Galilee jumped back and then Alessandra kicked her at the legs. Then she threw a disc at me, which I barely evaded.

"NO BRIDGE!" she called out, and this time she was crying. Her voice was shaking and then I saw the hovercraft ascend, swiftly departing form the arena. The Bell still rang and while it did so we couldn't really attack.

But it seemed that Alessandra had lost it.

She was rampaging, crying about Asher, about Burgundy and Rowan, about Bridge. None of her discs hit either of us, or even Sevarian, who dodged it expertly, but she still fought with her hands and legs and screamed and howled.

Galilee knocked her out.

I felt bad for the girl. She was too young to even be here and I lifted her in my arms, carrying her to where her bag was, and I lay her down gently.

"Final nine," Galilee said.

Final nine. I hadn't even realised. Who had died? There were two bodied in the Garden, and Sevarian would have to move away for them to collect them, but we couldn't understand whose corpses they were. I hoped they were not any of our allies.

The two of us turned to Sevarian, who held his knives firmly in his hands. From the way he stood, he radiated confidence. And ruthlessness. I did not have the strength for any more fights now. I didn't want to.

"Sevarian," I said, "Will you like to consider a truce with us?"

Galilee looked at me, possibly perplexed. But honestly, I didn't want to fight anymore.

"Sure," the boy from Five replied, "Make yourselves comfortable."

We moved towards him when Galilee stopped. Her eyes wandered over to the male body on the ground and then she ran towards it. It was unrecognisable but…

"… Ben?"

Her voice was soft but I could feel the rage in it. She was angry… More than just angry. I could feel that she was murderous at the moment. She and Bennett were friends from before… And I knew with a certainty that Sevarian had killed him.

I didn't feel sad or calm anymore.

I could feel Galilee's anger, I shared it with her. I turned around to confront Sevarian…

… But he was already gone.

* * *

 **This wasn't supposed to happen. I swear it wasn't. In fact, I was going to have a death-free chapter but… I don't know how this happened… And I feel like a mess right now. And finally, the Bell was used! Even though accidently, but still! Okay, I promise that next chapter will be death-free. And most probably the one after that too. I hope so. Hmm…**

 **Eulogies:**

 **12** **th** **: Arrington Hart- Arrington, or shall I say Ivy?- was a really unique tribute. She was different, she was fun, and I just loved her MPD. She was good to write for but I just felt her time had come. Rest in peace, Arrington. And Ivy.**

 **11** **th** **: Bennett DeVallier- Bennett was different from most Careers. He had a good reason to volunteer, and all I feel bad about the most is that you'll never be able to speak. I liked you a lot, but you were never victor material for me. Sorry. But it was a delight to write for you. Rest in peace, you'll be missed.**

 **10** **th** **: Bridge Carter- Okay, Bridge was my favourite. He was the most complicated, the most unique and the most fun character and he had the most detailed form, with the exact amount of information that I needed. He was a villain but had the potential to be a hero. He was the ideal person who could use the Deserter's Bell, and I am glad he's still alive. You will be missed.**

 **So… I think slightly shorter POVs for the next two chapters will be fine, covering every tribute that's still around? I need to cut down on the death rate… too fast. Too fast.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and that it wasn't too boring. I'll post the death list next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts on the chapter.**

 **Have a great day!**


	28. Chapter 28

**The Third Night**

* * *

 **Sevarian Vaask (16) D5M**

I should have had known that Reynard would desert me.

Of course, I had my suspicions, but just as his District Partner died? He stayed true to his thoughts and parted ways the moment we were in the final ten. It was almost funny. Almost.

I didn't know where I was. I had a bag with me and an array of knives, along with the hatchet from before, just in case. At least I didn't have to worry; the Capitolites had decided to sponsor me with food and I was full now, resting under this huge tree, with no roses around, thankfully. That would have been bad.

The way Arrington and Bennett had died was… brutal, to say the least. I wished I hadn't seen that. I wasn't really a fan of seeing humans melt in front of my eyes, and after Oren that wasn't a good reminder. The way had been different, but still. It was as if the plants were _eating_ them alive, and the very thought was good enough to make me want to throw up.

But then… I was so close to winning. So very close. I would have enough time to feel disgusted at my memories when I would leave the arena. As the time passed by, I felt a greater desire to be back in Five. Life as a victor would be great.

It started raining.

Maybe I was too tired, or maybe it was so gradual that I didn't register it, but the rain water soon turned to acid.

"AAHH!" I screamed as I fumbled for my helmet, and dropped it in my panic. The rain fell hard on me and I knew I was burning, that my face was ruined, that my head was covered in hair in a very haphazard way, and I knew the pain that I was going through, but soon the helmet was on.

It was after putting it on that I screamed in agony. The pain! It was too much! My face was burning so much and the helmet was making it so much worse, pressing on my head so hard. I wanted to curl in a ball and cry but I grabbed my stuff quickly and ran instead. There had to be some place where it wouldn't be raining acid!

Was it my imagination, or were my boots getting stuck in the mud? It was too hard to run, and the stickiness was not simply like that of damp soil. No, there was something wrong. There had to be. Now wasn't the time to stop and check though.

In the distance I finally saw something that I could make use of.

It was a clearing, and I was surprised I hadn't been there before, because there were so many sheds there. They looked like wooden sheds, but if that had been the case, would they have held on for so long? I doubted that.

So soon, I was under one such shed, even as the acidic rain slapped on the roof over my head, its sound echoing in the air like a cannon. But it felt much safer here than my previous location, and I finally felt that I could let out my pain. Taking my helmet off, I held it over my head in case I had to put it on again, and just stood still. The burning in my head felt slightly better but not much. What did I do to deserve this?! Killing wouldn't, shouldn't, count. After all everyone here was here to kill!

And now my boots…

Catching a small caterpillar stuck to your shoes, glaring at you with blood red eyes, wasn't a good experience. I squashed it against the wet ground, hoping that it was dead, but not daring to look again. What if it suddenly turned into a monster? After this unbearable pain, I didn't really have strength to fight off any big bad mutts.

I just hoped the sponsors would send me something for the burns…

* * *

 **Olympia Rush (17) D2F**

Final Nine.

I couldn't believe it was here already. After running from that snake I hadn't found any of my allies, only to know that two of them were dead and that I was in the top nine. I wondered who had used the bell. There had been such a loud ringing in the arena that it had kind of frightened and deafened me at the same time. But it couldn't be one of my allies. I sighed. I didn't want to meet any of my allies now; I had already planned to leave the alliance at top ten. If we met there could only be bloodshed. It was inevitable, yes, but that didn't mean I looked forward to it.

In all honesty I dreaded it so much.

Never did I think that I would start to care about any of them, and yet when Bennett and Cecelia's faces flashed in the sky… I couldn't help but feel something hollow in my chest. I wanted to cry and suddenly the idea of hunger games didn't seem great anymore. It was wrong, so wrong. Seeing death with my own eyes was not a good feeling or experience but now I understood why the Outer District tributes always dreaded it when they were Reaped. Why they cried, why nobody volunteered. It all suddenly made sense.

But now I was here, and I had come a long way. I had made a promise to win, and I was not one to break them. Whether I liked it or not, I had to fight my way through it.

A loud growl from my tummy reminded me how hungry I was, and I felt slightly embarrassed. But there was nothing to eat, and even if I had something I couldn't really consume it due to this rain. I saw the leaves of so many trees wither and melt, so many flowers melt too. But the trees stood strong and I was glad of the small hole kind of thing where I was seeking shelter. It was at the foot of the tree, and although the rain wouldn't affect me much even if I was out in the open due to my suit, I still didn't want to take a chance.

As I leaned back a bit and looked at the downpour, a blurry figure seemed to run past me at such a close proximity that at first I my hand went to my sword but then I decided against it. If during the confrontation, my suit was cut up even a bit I wouldn't be able to return to the cornucopia. The acid rain would burn my skin completely.

I tried to make out who it was though. From the body structure I felt it was a boy. Yes, it certainly was a boy. But who? Could it be Amaranth…?

The mere thought made me stand up and step out from the small hole like thing in that huge tree. I would surely like to give Amaranth a hug right now. I had been so worried…

No… it wasn't him. This guy had a more masculine body structure. Then who? Reynard? Sevarian? Mateo?

It didn't matter. I saw the guy disappear into the thick undergrowth, and the rain formed a veil in front of my vision. There was nothing to see or do.

My shoulders slumped. A part of me had hoped that it was Amaranth. At least I would have known for certain that he was alright. But now, now I didn't have any idea how he was. I wished for his safety.

Slowly dragging myself, I settled back into my tiny shelter, trembling slightly due to the cold, which had suddenly descended on the arena that night, and also due to hunger and thirst. However, I knew nobody would sponsor me. They would let me die just like that, and it struck me too hard that my life mattered to nobody. It wasn't a nice feeling.

If I had to live, to even survive for a bit longer, I needed food and water. I needed sponsors. It was time to make myself cold-hearted and hunt others down. Just the rain had to subside a bit...

* * *

 **Mateo Dorsani (15) D9M**

Back when it was raining and I was trying to find a place to take shelter at, I felt at a time that someone was watching me. I did turn back so many times, but due to the rains I couldn't really see anyone. The downpour had come to a halt now, and the land had dried up in a matter of minutes, about which I had been wondering. How could soil dry up so fast? And anyway, all distraction was welcome at the moment. Because when my mind was free, all that came to mind was how I killed Quinoa.

Honestly, had it been anyone else, I wouldn't have minded so much. But that girl was ill, young, innocent. And I had behaved in a very monstrous manner while murdering her, I recalled. That was the worst part. Killing someone by tricking would have been different, at least I would have been prepared. On the other hand, it seemed that it was right that I killed her. She would have died sooner or later anyway. It was better for her, for her family even. The Careers would have dragged it out, the mutts would have made it messy.

Who was I trying to distract?

Sighing, I lied down on the ground and stared at the sky. Nothing much was visible since the leaves blocked my vision, but I could see that the clouds had subsided, and there was something twinkling overhead. It was always so weird to see the weather changes in the arena every year. On screen it appeared to be fascinating. Now that I was here, it didn't.

There was only one thing I was glad about. I was in Final Nine and only four Careers were around. As such four Careers were still dangerous, but seeing that they started off with eight, it was better than the other years. Maybe I had a chance. Maybe I actually had a chance.

I just wanted to live.

The looks on the faces of my enemies if I died suddenly flashed in front of my eyes and I punched the ground hard. No, I wasn't going to give _them_ the satisfaction. They hurt and used and manipulated me when I was young; if I died then they would only make fun of me. I wasn't going to be laughed at, not by those idiots.

"Oh no," I muttered and then got to my feet and then ran. There was someone close by. How come I didn't realise it before?! Had I not been thinking of people laughing at me, maybe I would have had some time to do something. Throwing myself behind some bushed, I watched through the gaps.

My little District Partner was staggering towards me, helmet in hand, and I was honestly terrified of the look in her eyes. They looked… hollow. Demented even. They were bloodshot and I would have said she was crying earlier had she not looked so calm then. She was unarmed, thankfully. At the moment it felt as if she would kill anyone.

"Don't hide form me Mateo!" she shouted, making me flinch on the spot.

Slowly, I emerged from behind the bushes, wondering how she had seen me when she said, "I'm not blind."

"I wasn't hiding from you," I replied in a somewhat shaky voice, "I was hiding from anyone who approached."

"And you did a bloody good job at it," she replied sarcastically.

I was honestly surprised that she was talking in this manner. The Alessandra I remembered was always so proper and sweet. This girl, she didn't even have the shadow of her former self.

"W-what h-happened?" I stammered. Why was I unable to speak properly? Why was I feeling so scared of this tiny girl?

"Nothing happened!" she snapped, "Except that a few people have died, you know?"

"Calm down kid," I said.

"I won't calm down!" she cried and finally I saw her eyes going bleak, "Not till I have killed those Careers! I will kill each one of them for taking all my friends from me!"

I understood the situation completely now. So, her allies were dead, and Aly wanted to avenge them. I wished I could understand the sentiment, but I was failing at it miserably. Nonetheless, I smiled at her sadly.

"We can work together, if you want," I offered, secretly hoping she would decline.

"No," she said flatly, "No more allies. All my allies suffer. No more allies for me."

"But-"

"Just no!"

And with that she simply ran past me. I knew she was finally crying, and I felt sorry for her. But this couldn't continue. I couldn't feel bad for her forever.

I had a game to win.

* * *

 **Another filler chapter. I think the net two may be fillers too, or not. I don't know at this point. So, I know this is late, and I apologise for that. I hope you enjoyed it, and please share your thoughts and opinions on the chapter, although there was hardly anything happening in it…**

 **Death List:**

 **Fynn King- killed by Bridge Carter**

 **Rowan Clear- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Burgundy Lumineer- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Aspen Rust- killed by Galilee Schwartz**

 **Oren Harper- killed by Cecelia Vertigo and arena radiations**

 **Aileen Romeri- killed by Bennett DeVallier**

 **Tab Hamasaki- killed by Olympia Rush**

 **Cassidy Kelly- killed by Victory Fervaix**

 **Victory Fervaix- killed by Galilee Schwartz and Asher Ravenstone**

 **Asher Ravenstone- killed by Galilee Schwartz, Amaranthine Carteret and Bridge Carter**

 **Quinoa Callus- killed by Mateo Dorsani**

 **Cecelia Vertigo- killed by snake mutt**

 **Arrington/ Ivy Hart- killed by Sevarian Vaask and rose mutt**

 **Bennett DeVallier- killed by Sevarian Vaask and rose mutt**

 **Bridge Carter- alive, used the Deserter's Bell**

 **Have a great day!**


	29. Chapter 29

**The Fourth Day**

* * *

 **Oceane Cascade (17) D4F**

Cecelia had fallen to the snake mutt. Bennett was gone. The Careers were dying slowly and I couldn't decide whether to be happy or upset. At least I was a step closer to home. A step closer to fulfilling my promise to Isla. I had to keep in mind that she was waiting back for me. I could let nothing get in my way now, not at all.

The acid rain from last night had burned my left hand pretty badly. For some reason I had taken off the glove and it had to rain acid at that instant itself. Not before that, not after I had put on the glove, but right then. It was gross, to say the least. At least I got some sponsor medicine for that, but it was taking quite a long time to work. The burn still felt fresh and it hurt so much, but I wasn't going to admit it. The Capitol didn't want to see weak tributes anyway.

I used the trident to push myself on my feet. Water…

My parched throat ached with its so long dryness. When was the last time I had had water to drink? I couldn't remember, but I could feel how dizzy and weak I was. I hated being weak but due to this dehydration weak was all I was.

I had been searching for water since yesterday. Just a little bit, not too much either. Even if it was dirty I would drink it, my condition was that bad. Water. Water. Water. Wate-

Maybe the Gamemakers had heard me. Maybe it had always been there, but just as my legs were about to give up, my tired eyes spotted the small pond of water. It was too small to be called a pond but water was water, and like a hungry lion on seeing its prey, I jumped at the pond.

It was not only humiliating, but also frustrating beyond belief when I hit the mud. I looked up with a groan, only to find that there was no pond there at all, instead I was sitting right in the middle of a clearing, as dry as the rest of the place. At this my patience ended, and I felt the tears leak from my eyes. This wasn't fair. A mirage… I needed water to survive! I couldn't die of thirst, out of all the potential reasons! That would be so disgraceful for the District, for me!

And I couldn't even get up now! I took off my helmet and my jacket, not caring about anything. I just couldn't bear all the weight of these clothes, nor the horrible heat of the arena. About that, it was actually pretty cool once I had taken off all the radiation-proof clothes. The light wind brushed my sweaty skin, giving the cooling effect that I so needed now.

"Water…" I whispered, as things started to get a little blurry. I hoped I wouldn't pass out. Anyone, or anything would be able to kill me. Dying in such a helpless manner wasn't acceptable to me.

But _what_ was I supposed to do? In my entire life, I had never felt so helpless. I couldn't even get up! not even stand on my own feet! I felt so useless at the time, and so very dizzy. Water… just, somehow. _Anyhow!_

"What the hell?!" I cried out in frustration, crying just a bit as I struggled at the spot. And then, then the sound I had been waiting for came, and I was honestly so glad that I almost jumped up, except that I couldn't jump up.

 _Chime!_

As the small water bottle landed beside me, I felt a darkness cloud my vision. Everything appeared to have a blurry appearance and as I grabbed the water bottle, darkness finally engulfed me, before I could even quench my thirst.

* * *

 **Persephone "Perry" Aster (16) D12F**

Bridge was dead. Bridge was dead.

I had been repeating that in my mind over and over again ever since I saw his face up in the sky. Of course, he could have had used the Deserter's Bell. Something in my mind told me that he deserved what he got, he was a nasty little thing anyway, but my heart hated me for thinking that way and my mind hated my heart for feeling horrible for the boy.

If he was dead… I had been bad to him. Very bad. but then, he had committed a very big crime. He had killed his own father, the man who raised him! But still… I missed Bridge. Maybe it was weird of me to think that way, but I sincerely wished the boy had been with me right then.

The pond, near which I was resting, was a blessing in this place. I had honestly thought I would die of thirst, and imagine how embarrassing that would be. If Bridge were here he could have a drink too…

 _Stop thinking about him._

I couldn't. I just couldn't. The spear next to me seemed useless now. What was I to do with it anyway? Nothing had come my way ever since Bridge left. No tribute, no mutt, nothing. At this point I honestly wanted to hear a human voice more than anything. I wondered how tributes didn't go mad due to loneliness alone.

A creak. It was definitely a creaking sound, and I was up on my feet in a second, spear in hand. Maybe, maybe I would get to see something, another life form. Not counting the plants of course.

"I don't want to fight," Mateo said, coming into view, holding his hatchet as tightly as he could, his hands visibly red.

"I can see that," I replied sarcastically.

"I mean it."

"Well then," I said, holding the spear tightly, "What do you want?"

"Water," he said in an almost pleading voice, "Please. I need water. It's been a very long time since I drank water and I honestly feel so exhausted right now. As if I will collapse. Please."

I nodded at him and gestured at the pond, and the boy stepped forward hesitantly, trembling just a little as he walked. I wasn't going to tell him to relax, not when I could kill him right then. Why not do it?

No… I shook my head slightly. What will be the difference between the Careers and me then? I wasn't going to stoop to their level. Never.

"Thanks," Mateo said with a smile. I nodded and that was when I knew something was wrong. That I had made a mistake to let him have a drink.

He simply charged at me with his hatchet.

With an angry bellow, I thrust my spear in his direction but maybe he had anticipated it, and he rolled out of the way. He was stooping slightly and kicked at my shins but I jumped and he missed. He pushed his hatchet towards me, aiming for the stomach, but I jumped back, tripped, and fell on my back.

As Mateo brought down his hatchet I rolled out of the way, and the hatchet got buried in the mud. As he tried to yank it out, I struck at his neck with my spear, but he dodged again. He crouched and then head-butted me in the stomach all of a sudden. I hadn't expected it and was taken by surprise to find myself on the ground again. As I reached out for my spear, Mateo pulled out his hatchet and dug it into my stomach. He had tears in his eyes but he didn't stop.

"How…?" I whispered over the pain.

"I'm sorry Persephone," he replied, "But I want to return home."

With that he pulled out the hatchet, making me scream and cry in agony. It was so painful! I could literally feel my life slip away from me, as the blood flowed incessantly. I saw Caspian's face swim in front of my eyes and soon my tears were flowing as fast as my blood. I was leaving him.

"Caspian…"

And with that I closed my eyes forever.

* * *

 **Amaranthine "Amaranth" Carteret (16) D2M**

Staying with Galilee was almost dangerous.

She did nothing other than to sit under the cornucopia and stare at the garden around her, muttering under her breath 'why did I do it?' continuously. It was almost as if she was going mad slowly and I didn't like it. I was worried about her, and although that was truly the most unwise thing to do in a place and time like this, there was nothing I could do about it.

"May I ask what is bothering you, good friend? You don't look well," I said finally.

"Huh?" she looked up as if just realising I was there too.

"Are you, are you feeling alright?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah," she replied and I knew it was a lie. Was it just Bennett's death that had made her so sad? Was it something else?

Not knowing what to do, I sat down beside her and gingerly put my arm around her. She flinched at the touch but did not push me away so I took that as a good sign.

"What's the matter, Gal? Is it Ben?"

"No," she replied almost too quickly, "Everything's okay."

"You can tell me."

She remained silent for a sometime. A long time, actually, and I felt that I should drop the subject. Considering the way she had been muttering, almost like a deranged person, it would be wise to keep my distance. However, just as I was about to get up, she spoke.

"I shouldn't have had volunteered."

It was said softly that I thought I was imagining it. but one glance at her, and I knew it was no imagination. She truly felt that way. Was it all the bloodshed? I didn't like it either, but our honour was at stake. It was a small thing to do for one's district.

I remained quiet and let her continue.

"I was chosen as the volunteer from One," she said, in that hauntingly low voice, "My mum was so happy. But I didn't want to. I always thought I would die. Killing disgusted me. but once I was in the Capitol…"

She stopped and took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"I realised that I had no choice. I had to fight since I was here, for real. Little did I know… Know that it would be so hard."

She stopped again and then just stared ahead.

"I don't expect you to understand but, but this is wrong. I shouldn't have, no matter what anyone wanted, I shouldn't have done this. There ae so many lives I have taken. Ben's death just reminded me how bad it all is. And what a big mistake I have made."

"You can't give up," I said softly, "Killing is hard, I know. Death is even frightening. But there are things that have to be done."

"You don't understand!" she said loudly. Then with a sigh she resumed in her low tone, "You don't understand. These children don't deserve it. did you not notice how pathetic everyone's condition is here? I knew Bennett came here because he wanted his voice back. But he shouldn't have had to do this anyway, if we mattered to people in the Capitol then he would have been treated anyway."

I nodded. What she was saying did make sense. Killing really was unnecessary. So many people dead…

"I will never be able to forgive myself even if I get out," she said, "All the people I have killed, they will always be on my mind. I'll never be able to be happy and I will always curse myself for the day I had volunteered. Always."

I was about to say something comforting, when the sound of the cannon spread out in the arena. It was too loud as always and I cringed. I saw Galilee lower her head and I suspected her of crying, judging by the soft jerking motion of her shoulders.

I pulled her into an embrace. To my surprise she returned it, and I heard soft sobbing.

"There, there," I said softly, patting her back, "Be brave Gal. We're in the final eight. You can't give up now. Be strong."

"For me to get out," she said, "You will have to die. Why are you comforting me?"

"Because I want an honourable match for my victory. And I want my friends to remain strong despite the adverse situation."

She pulled back and then stared at me for a few seconds. Then she stuck out her hand.

"Final two?"

I looked at her hand for a second and then grasped it firmly.

"Final two."

* * *

 **So I said that this will be a filler but… yeah. Had to do it even if I didn't want to. And 301 reviews! YES! Thank you so much all of you! You all really are the best people around! XD**

 **Eulogies:**

 **9** **th** **: Persephone Aster- Perry, Perry, Perry. You were amazing. I simply loved you. She was bold and disrespectful and swore but I liked her nonetheless, especially her relation with Bridge. It was an absolute delight to write for her, but it just felt that her time had come. Rest in peace Perry. You will be missed.**

 **Death List:**

 **Fynn King- killed by Bridge Carter**

 **Rowan Clear- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Burgundy Lumineer- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Aspen Rust- killed by Galilee Schwartz**

 **Oren Harper- killed by Cecelia Vertigo and arena radiations**

 **Aileen Romeri- killed by Bennett DeVallier**

 **Tab Hamasaki- killed by Olympia Rush**

 **Cassidy Kelly- killed by Victory Fervaix**

 **Victory Fervaix- killed by Galilee Schwartz and Asher Ravenstone**

 **Asher Ravenstone- killed by Galilee Schwartz, Amaranthine Carteret and Bridge Carter**

 **Quinoa Callus- killed by Mateo Dorsani**

 **Cecelia Vertigo- killed by snake mutt**

 **Arrington/ Ivy Hart- killed by Sevarian Vaask and rose mutt**

 **Bennett DeVallier- killed by Sevarian Vaask and rose mutt**

 **Bridge Carter- alive, used the Deserter's Bell**

 **Persephone Aster- killed by Mateo Dorsani**

 **Also, if you all have time, I will really love it if you submit to my new story Dawn of Light. The prologue is up and the form is on my profile. Thank you.**

 **So do let me know your thoughts on the chapter. Is there anyone that you did not expect would make the top eight? Also, please vote in the poll.**

 **Have a great day!**


	30. Chapter 30

**The Fourth Night**

* * *

 **Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F**

There had been one more cannon. Final eight. It was beyond belief that I was in final eight. I didn't even have any kills to my credit but I needed one. I seriously needed one if I had to win. What scared me was that I didn't even feel sick or sad about the thought of killing or hurting anyone. Nobody mattered, and I secretly hoped to kill at least one of the Careers myself. They were horrible. So very horrible. They owed me so much.

At the moment however, it was water that I needed. And food. And sleep. I didn't remember the last time I had slept, or eaten. I felt I could literally eat a person right now, and I had never thought I would stoop to that level. It didn't matter. Nothing did except that Alessandra Farro had to get out somehow. Whatever the cost.

I didn't notice that as I trudged forward, there was something lying on the ground. I tripped over that something and soon I was wiping the dry soil from my face. On closer inspection, I saw that the thing was a person, and upon checking their pulse I discovered it to be so slow and irregular.

It did not matter who it was.

There was a water bottle clutched in their hand. I yanked it out of their iron grip and drained it down my throat. Finally, finally I got to re-hydrate myself, otherwise I might have fallen due to thirst like this tribute.

Who was it?

Due to thickness of the forest and the pronounced darkness, it was hard to make who it was. I pushed them over a bit and squinted my eyes, trying to get a better look. And when I finally saw it was…

"Hahaha!" I laughed, "Whoop! This is sooooo good!"

This was my opportunity! How peaceful she looked! As if she hadn't brutally murdered so many people. I giggled at Oceane's plight. This would be so much fun.

If the Career was here, her weapon should be too.

I looked around, trying to find the trident. How much fun it would be to drive her own weapon into her heart! Even fate agreed with me, because I soon found the trident.

The weapon was heavy and for the first time I felt so powerful. As long as I had this… there was no need to worry. It weighed a bit too much for my liking but Oceane was asleep and if all went well, she would say that way.

I stared at her pretty face for a second. She really looked like the seventeen-year-old she was and I suddenly didn't want to do it. She was a person!

 _A person who killed your allies. A person who would have killed you without hesitation._

That was true. Why was I feeling so guilty holding this mighty weapon over her? I had to do it. I had to.

 _That's the difference between you and her. You are a human._

I was a human; I couldn't be so heartless. I couldn't…

 _Good people never survive._

I frowned. Why was my mind counselling me in different ways? It didn't matter. Nothing did. Taking in a deep breath, I pushed the trident down.

The cannon rung.

And Oceane Cascade died in her sleep.

Wait… did I…? Did I really kill her…?

"No…" I whispered as I fell on my knees, "No…!"

I had killed someone. How could I…? No, this was a lie… the trident wasn't real. Nothing was. how could it be? No, I was asleep. Asleep.

 _Why are you crying then?_

I was crying. Why? What happened? Nothing, nothing at all. This girl was sleeping. The red thing… it wasn't blood. It was a dye. That's right. A dye.

Who was I trying to fool?

"NOO!" I cried all of a sudden. I was a murderer! A murderer! What did I do?!

 _She killed your allies…_

"B-but…"

 _You are one step closer to home. Remember, she was a Career._

I frowned. That was true. If our situations were reversed, she would have done the same. One step closer to home…

And then I laughed like I had never done. My voice was hoarse but I felt like laughing. Suddenly the sight of blood didn't bother me anymore.

"One down! Six more to go!"

* * *

 **Reynard Ciervo (18) D10M**

My eyes flew open as soon as the cannon rung and I raised my sword. I couldn't believe I had fallen asleep although I had tried so hard not to. What if someone would have killed me in my sleep? I couldn't take such a risk.

But I still felt drowsy and honestly just wanted to lie down and go to sleep again. I kind of missed my days with Sevarian as my ally. We didn't trust each other but at least I could enjoy a few hours of sleep. Now, I had no idea how long I could stand on my feet.

I had hunted a squirrel despite having food in my bag. I needed to use my weapon anyway. But I had eaten like a starving man and the squirrel was gone in a single meal. Ah, there was nothing to be done about it. there was not a single animal, or edible plant, visible anywhere. I just wished I could go to sleep right now.

Then I recalled that the reason of the disturbance in my previous nap was the cannon sound. I frowned. Who could have died? I sort of wished it was Sevarian. I didn't want to face him, not since I fled. He would have done the same but that reason wouldn't really work.

He had killed Arrington.

No, I didn't like her. I kind of hated her even because of Ivy. But it was still sad when she died. I thought of her as an annoyance but when I saw the mutt devour her completely… there was a sadness that had engulfed me. I didn't want to run, wanted to help her too, but that would be illogical, and I couldn't get killed. I couldn't afford to. So even when I felt so terrible I only fled from the scene with the equipment necessary.

I stared into space when the silence around me was disturbed again, but due to something much closer.

Was it… hooves?

"Oh no," I muttered as I lifted my bag and ran as fast as I could. My heart was beating too fast now and it just felt that my legs were too slow. However hard I tried, these stupid limbs refused to cooperate.

And then I made the mistake of looking behind.

I had thought it would be a horse, a gigantic mutt but a horse nonetheless. But what I saw was so bizarre that I stopped for a second to just take in the appearance.

It had a horse's body alright but the rest of it… To begin with, it had a giraffe's head with pink spots and had it been any other situation I might have laughed. Then it had a tail which resembled a lizard, and on looking carefully that it _was_ a lizard. Now how did that thing manage to survive with a lizard as its tail, I didn't know. However, I did know that it could kill me in less than a second.

My legs seemed to be frozen.

It wasn't a good idea to stop. The mutt was nearing and I could feel myself panicking. It wasn't good. Not good at all.

 _Calm down._

It was not easy to calm down, not when such a unique and weird creature was towering over me. it had come to a stop and that's what worried me more. It was toying with me.

 _Come on!_

Forcing myself, I raced away from the spot, and the horse mutt stared as I increased the distance between us. My legs were tired and my lungs were protesting for rest but there was no way I could stop. I looked back once, to see that the mutt was gone.

I came to an abrupt halt and fell on the ground, panting furiously. I was alive. I was alive. The mutt was gone. Th-

I swung my sword as soon as I felt the warm breath on my shoulder but it was a mistake. A big mistake.

The giraffe head had my sword in its mouth. It bit it up and the sword was gone in a swallow. There was nothing I could do now and I shut my eyes even as the lizard tail bit me. It was completely painless but in around three seconds I could feel myself going weak. There was not a word I could speak but it was still… relaxing.

I went to sleep just as the cannon rung.

* * *

 **Galilee Schwartz (18) D1F**

Two cannons and in such short interval of time too. This wasn't good.

"How many of us are left?" I asked Amaranth. I wanted to have a normal conversation with him. In a moment of weakness, I had let him know how vulnerable I was. how much al this was affecting me. but I couldn't let that happen. Things had to get normal.

"Six," he replied softly, "We're in the final six."

My heart was beating very fast. Final six. It seemed as if an eternity had passed since twenty-four of us came here. Final six… it was just hard to believe.

"I can't believe it Ama…"

And before I could say anything he hugged me. I flinched but then relaxed and hugged him back.

"Just hold on Gal," he whispered, "We have to make the final two."

"How will I kill you if- when- it comes to it?" I muttered.

He didn't reply but just patted my back. There was an unmistakable sigh and he pulled away just enough to look at my face. He looked really beautiful right now.

"It doesn't matter," he said finally, cupping my face in his hands, "We will fight like warriors and we'll hold nothing back. It is, after all, a competition. We will give our best. That's the reason we are here."

"That's so true," I answered, resting my head on his chest, "But Ama… will we be able to fight each other?"

His grip around me tightened.

"I don't know," he said in a barely audible voice, "I don't know, good friend. I just don't know."

There was silence after that. A silence that comforted me, a silence that I wished would never end. If only I had not volunteered… And Ama too. If only we were in the same district… There would have been a lot of possibilities for both of us. We would have been best friends even if we knew each other. That would have been such a delight.

"Attention tributes!"

Lorenzo's voice was so abrupt and so loud that we jumped apart and were armed in a second.

"Attention tributes," he said again and I could clearly imagine him smirking.

"All of you have fought hard bravely and you deserve to be in the final six. You all have entertained us very well so far. To congratulate you all on your success, we have arranged a feast near the cornucopia tomorrow morning at eight."

I wanted to scream now. The feast?! The feast?! I wasn't going to go too any feast! There had been too much bloodshed already!

"Of course, attendance is not mandatory. However, you may want to attend the feast nonetheless. You may find something… useful there."

And then he stopped.

I glanced at Amaranth. Looking at him, I knew what he wanted.

"You're going, aren't you?"

"By your leave," he said, "It is indeed a golden opportunity. We can get rid of all the competition even. I say we go."

"What about Olympia?"

His lips formed a straight line and looking at his eyes, I could see the rage and hurt in his eyes. It was no secret to me that he did like her and that's what I feared. Having these kind of feelings was not advisable, not in the arena at least.

"If we meet," he replied, "I will have no other option. I will have to kill her."

He tried so hard to hide it from me but I noticed the shaking in his voice, the slight slump of his shoulders.

"If you want," I urged, "We can just stay away."

"We can't Gal, we can't."

I didn't say anything after that. I wanted to spend some time with my… friend? Ally?... I didn't know. But I wanted to spend some time with Ama in peace, maybe in happiness too.

After all, the next day could very well be our last.

* * *

 **I know that this update is unbelievably late. But yeah, it's finally here. We're in the final six already! And the feast is coming up next. Are you excited?**

 **So, this chapter was hard to write in all honesty. I loved both Oceane and Reynard so much and I honestly mean it when I say that I thought of both of them as victor. However, they sort of would have resembled the finalists of the previous story…**

 **Eulogies:**

 **8** **th** **: Oceane Cascade- Oceane was brilliant and I just liked her character. She was like a classic Career but not at the same time. She was strong and determined but compassionate at the same time. It was a joy to write for her and I won't lie when I say that she could have been a victor had it not been for what I planned. Rest in peace.**

 **7** **th** **\- Reynard Ciervo- Reynard was different than most other characters I have written for. He was pretty realistic and smart, knew how to handle situations well but wasn't overpowered. I feel as if I didn't manage to write him well, and I apologise if that is the case. He will be missed. Rest in peace.**

 **I still can't believe we're in the final six… Congratulations to the finalists! Who do you think will win now? Was there anything unexpected in this chapter? I hope you enjoyed…**

 **Death List:**

 **Fynn King- killed by Bridge Carter**

 **Rowan Clear- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Burgundy Lumineer- killed by Oceane Cascade**

 **Aspen Rust- killed by Galilee Schwartz**

 **Oren Harper- killed by Cecelia Vertigo and arena radiations**

 **Aileen Romeri- killed by Bennett DeVallier**

 **Tab Hamasaki- killed by Olympia Rush**

 **Cassidy Kelly- killed by Victory Fervaix**

 **Victory Fervaix- killed by Galilee Schwartz and Asher Ravenstone**

 **Asher Ravenstone- killed by Galilee Schwartz, Amaranthine Carteret and Bridge Carter**

 **Quinoa Callus- killed by Mateo Dorsani**

 **Cecelia Vertigo- killed by snake mutt**

 **Arrington/ Ivy Hart- killed by Sevarian Vaask and rose mutt**

 **Bennett DeVallier- killed by Sevarian Vaask and rose mutt**

 **Bridge Carter- alive, used the Deserter's Bell**

 **Persephone Aster- killed by Mateo Dorsani**

 **Oceane Cascade- killed by Alessandra Farro**

 **Reynard Ciervo- killed by horse-giraffe mutt**

 **Have a great day!**


	31. Chapter 31

**The Fifth Day**

* * *

 **Olympia Rush (17) D2F**

The feast. It was here.

There was no running now. I had to face my former allies. I had to kill them. Being so close to home… no, I couldn't just give up. There was a lot at stake. My honour, my District's honour, all the people back home who wouldn't be able to realise their dreams just because they are from poor or middle class families.

I gritted my teeth. This was not going to be easy. I had to kill people who I considered my friends, even if we knew each other only for some time. It still counted. It was not going to be easy.

The sun had just risen but I was already at the cornucopia. Last night, I had been given new helmets and suits so that I could enter the garden. However, now was not the time. There were invisible walls around the garden, and I could just make them out in the sunlight at certain angles. There was nothing other than to wait.

My weapon was all I had. I had no other supplies, I didn't think many people would. From behind the tree I was hiding I didn't think anyone else was there.

But being a Career I knew better. Galilee and Amaranth would surely be hiding. Amaranth… I didn't want to meet him. Meeting him would mean hurting him. I didn't want to do that. He was too sweet for that.

In the cornucopia I saw the bags labelled with our district numbers. I saw the array of water bottles they had laid out to tease the tributes. My own parched throat seemed to be getting even drier just at the sight of water. I needed that. I needed that so much…

But for now there was nothing for me to do except for waiting.

* * *

 **Mateo Dorsani (15) D9M**

My feet were aching from waiting, my heart was beating too fast. But I was hungry. Very hungry. It was strange how things like hunger and thirst could reduce a person to so less, but it did. I wanted the feast to start soon.

No, I wasn't keen on killing or being killed but I was keen on filling my empty stomach. I already felt too weak…

The gong rang.

So suddenly? Who would have thought? I waited for someone to appear, anyone to come forward. And just when I thought that people had either decided not to attend or they were in hiding, a small figure raced into the cornucopia, grabbed her bag and a bottle and ran out swiftly, before anyone could do anything.

As soon as Alessandra was gone, chaos broke out.

All of us ran to the table at once, some driven by hunger, some by thirst and some simply by bloodlust, but everyone was present there.

I didn't care.

Snatching my bag from the table I leapt over it with a bottle in my hand when I felt her sword almost slice my neck. I jumped aside and landed on my right elbow, twisting it at an impossible angle.

Olympia was towering over me and she brought her sword down and I rolled over. I kicked at her feet and she jumped, avoiding the kick and then struck at my head. I ducked then head-butted her in the tummy, taking her aback.

Her sword cut me in the thigh though and I howled in pain. It hurt so much! She was on her feet in an instant and she was muttering apologies but then she took the sword and swung it and I threw myself in the other direction. Maybe she had anticipated my move, because the sword just appeared out of nowhere and went right through my side.

"AAAHHHHH!" I cried out in pain, tears dripping from my eyes in torrents. I couldn't die! Not in the final six! Not after all I did! I couldn't die when I was so close! I couldn't-

* * *

 **Galilee Schwartz (18) D1F**

I saw Olympia standing over Mateo's corpse, her hands shaking as she held the sword and stared transfixed at the dead body. I wanted to cry right now. This was not right! None of it! But…

"Handle the others," Amaranth said and then he had drawn his spear and was darting towards his District Partner.

"Olympia," he said softly.

The girl looked at him in a somewhat gentle manner.

"Amaranth…"

"I don't want to do this."

"I know. Me neither."

They looked at each other for a second maybe, and then Olympia struck. Ama was ready and he dived over her head and then struck. The two fought hard with grace, and it was like watching a dance. It was terrific yet beautiful. But then my eyes went back to Mateo's corpse… it was bloody. So the suits had been torn. But then why were the radiations not working? He should have disintegrated by now…

The knife almost took my eyes out but I ducked just in time. I saw Sevarian standing in the distance and I could clearly imagine him smirking. I took the knife he had thrown at me and then hurled it at his waist. Just as he moved aside I ran at him and tackled him to the ground.

He was stronger than I had thought.

He was soon on top of me and was trying to strangle me. I tried to push him off, and just then I caught Amaranth run his spear into Olympia. The next moment her head was resting in his lap and he was singing for her. A lullaby… for her peaceful departure. Olympia squeezed his hand.

Maybe Ama's song distracted Sevarian too, and I seized my moment to throw him off, just as Olympia's cannon rung.

Final four.

* * *

 **Sevarian Vaask (16) D5M**

Galilee's gaze was fixated on Olympia and I smirked. This would be so easy.

I tackled her to the ground again and tried to take off her helmet. She fought off strongly and made things very difficult but I wasn't going to lose in the final four. I could not.

She pushed me back and I kicked her and then her ally punched me in the stomach, sending me flying away. I threw my knife at him and he dodged the attack.

"Aahh!" Galilee cried.

I laughed. The knife was stuck in her abdomen. If only I could dig it in deeper…

No!

She just pulled it out and threw it at Amaranthine, who caught it and stared at me.

"I can't let you live, Sev."

"Same."

And I knew that this was the perfect chance to flee. Two Carers could easily kill me, it would be no problem at all.

So I ran.

They came after me with the speed of a horse. I was doomed, there was just nothing I could do…

No, I could do something.

I ran towards the cornucopia instead. This was my only chance of staying alive now. I had to ring the bell.

I didn't want to. My family, colleagues, everyone would die. But I would live if I did it. And that's all that mattered. I had to live.

On the way, I yanked Olympia's sword to fend them off if the need arose. I was almost at the bell. Almost, when I felt a knife hit my helmet.

Galilee was ahead, Amaranth was behind. She was about to strike again and in my desperation I just threw the sword at her.

It went right through her stomach.

She took a deep gasp. And stared at the sword sticking from her abdomen. She didn't cry, she didn't wail. She did nothing, just fell on her knees. I heard Amaranthine's cry, I saw his fast movements, and I knew I had to escape.

The cannon rung and the spear hit me in the back.

Everything else was a blur. The bell was so close… but Amaranthine had turned into a monster. He pulled out the spear only to stab me again, yelling like a madman.

All I knew that I was dying. And honestly, it was so surprising that I didn't even notice the pain. How could I die?

 _Boom._

* * *

 **Amaranthine "Amaranth" Carteret (16) D2M**

The final two was here and Galilee had failed to keep her promise. Failed so terribly...

I was far away from the Garden now, unable to stay there for a moment after I killed Sevarian. I had killed Olympia too… how could I? She was a friend… And maybe something more. How would I ever forget her, what she meant to me? And what I felt for her...?

And I killed her. Murdered her brutally.

There was no way I could stop the tears. I wailed and cried, yelling at the top of my voice. For the first time I felt that it was a wrong decision to volunteer. This bloodshed, I couldn't handle it. not anymore.

"WHY?!" I yelled out in anger and sadness. Killed my friend, saw another friend die. It wasn't fair. I was such a fool…

And the other finalist, the other finalist was a thirteen-year-old girl. A girl who was mad at me. But I had to win, for Olympia who always put her district's honour ahead of everything.

I already dreaded that I would have to kill Aly.

* * *

 **Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F**

Four people dead! Four cannons went boom boom! I was certain that one of them was Mateo's and that was very sad and all, but there had to be at least two dead Careers! That was a reason to rejoice!

I gulped the water in one go. My bag was full of bottles too. I didn't have to go thirsty any more. Tonight that one other tribute would be dead. There was no denying it. Oh how fun it would be to slice their neck! I laughed. Yes! Yes! YES! I was so close to home. So very close…

"I'm coming home for certain," I cried, "Watch out everybody! I am coming home and there is NOBODY who can stop me!"

And I meant it. Nobody could stop me. Nobody was strong enough.

Except the other finalist, but I'd take care of them.

* * *

 **The feast is here! I know this is incredibly short but yeah… I hope you all enjoyed! What do you think of the finalists?**

 **Eulogies:**

 **6** **th** **: Mateo Dorsani- Mateo was unique and fun to write. He wasn't the best person around, and I always like those type. He was not evil either but I did like his approach a lot and that's what most people usually are like, maybe. Rest in peace.**

 **5** **th** **: Olympia Rush- Olympia was just amazing. She was the perfect Career and a perfect tribute. Maybe that's why I could never really think of her as my victor. I wanted someone with a truck-load of flaws and Olympia was a pretty classic Career. But I loved her, because if I didn't she wouldn't have made this far. Rest in peace.**

 **4** **th** **: Galilee Schwartz- She was going to be my victor. Really, she was. but something happened, and I felt that I just didn't develop her well enough and didn't write her well and the placing completely changed. The victor was supposed to place fourth actually. I loved Galilee and I can say that she was truly an amazing character and very deep. She will be missed.**

 **3** **rd** **: Sevarian Vaask- Sevarian was my ultimate villain. He was so ruthless, kind of sadistic that I loved him. Writing him was slightly hard but I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't really complain. I hope I didn't mess him up. Rest in peace, you will be missed.**

 **Who do you think will win? Did you expect any of the finalists to be in the final two?**

 **Have a lovely day!**


	32. Chapter 32

**The Fifth Night**

* * *

 **Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F**

The whole day had passed and yet there was no sign of the other remaining tribute. I had been searching for them since the Feast but to no avail. It didn't matter. If I didn't find them tonight, then surely the gamemakers would guide me to them. I just had to be ready for when it would happen.

Currently, I was making my way back to the cornucopia. That would be the best place to wait. Maybe, just maybe the other tribute would also show up there. That would be fun.

I settled down by a tree, panting. There was not an ounce of strength left in my legs and I groaned in pain. A little rest before the final showdown wouldn't be too bad.

I dug into the feast bag for a water bottle and pulled it out. At least there was no problem of being thirsty. However, a fight could commence anytime soon and it would be better to not drink too much.

 _Will you be able to kill?_

"It's not a question of whether I will be able to do it or not," I chided myself, "It _has_ to be done. I have to win. Do you really think I will fall when I am in the final two?"

 _Your foe is in the final two as well._

"Exactly," I replied in annoyance, "And that makes it even more important that I kill."

 _How can you be so heartless?_

I went silent at that. What could I say to it? I myself had no idea why I was screaming blood. But that was what I wanted. Win, so that my friends would be avenged. Win, so that my family would not have to feel the loss. Win, so that I could live. And win, to show those *** gamemakers their place. There was just no other alternative.

Maybe I had rested too long.

Putting the helmet back on, I started towards the cornucopia. Or where I thought it would be for I had absolutely no idea but as my gut instinct told me to go this way, I did. gut instincts were usually right.

The white stones that formed the boundary of the garden came into view and I stopped. How many days did I come here? Five? Six? I honestly didn't remember and I didn't care. I stepped over the stones and gazed at the silhouette of the Deserter's Bell. Could I use it?

 _NO! That's cowardice!_

For once, I agreed. It would do me no good to use that. I didn't know for sure whether I would be allowed to live or not. And my family would certainly be murdered. No, I had come too far. It would be extremely embarrassing to desert the games at this point.

Slowly, I proceeded to the looming ancient tree. All sorts of weapons lay there and I laughed. How ironic that despite so many arms available, the careers could do nothing. There was a nice axe there and it felt nice in my hands, better than Oceane's trident.

"So… you're here?"

I turned around rapidly, only to see the large number _Two_ written on the jacket, and from his voice I knew who it was. So, _this_ was the other finalist?

It was going to be so much fun.

* * *

 **Amaranthine "Amaranth" Carteret (16) D2M**

The way her figure was hunched up, poised like a lioness at hunt, with the axe in her hand… It was enough to scare anyone.

The girl in front of me laughed, her pitch too high, and the laughter sounded too deranged. My shoulders slumped. The girl had lost her sanity. How was I going to kill her? How was I going to hurt her even? It was going to be hard, so very hard…

"Hello Amaranthine!" she said like a drunk woman, "Nice to see you here!"

I didn't reply to that, and soon the laughter died. She cleared her throat and then said, in her old proper self, "Congratulations for reaching the final two. It's a big achievement."

"Yeah, it is. Congrats."

"I wish, I wish we had something to celebrate with, you know? Music, food, a dance floor. Alas! All there is, is a garden."

I grabbed my spear tightly as she limped towards me. I stepped back.

"Hey! Don't be scared! I'm just a thirteen-year-old girl! I can't harm you anyway. Plus," she stopped for effect, "I'm not in the mood, you feel?"

"Alessandra-"

"You can call me Aly. I don't mind. I don't mind anything!"

"Aly, calm down. You're not well."

"Aww, Amaranth! You're so sweet you might turn someone diabetic. I can't, you know, it's hard for me to digest the fact that a Career can be so sweet."

I pursed my lips as she clapped and laughed. This was seriously not good. In fact, I was afraid. Afraid that she might kill me after all.

And then she came to a standstill, tilting her head in one way and stared ahead. I could imagine a perfectly insane smile on her face. My grip on the spear tightened. This had to be done. There was no way I could let her kill me.

I lunged at her.

It seemed to me that she had anticipated my move as she jumped aside at that very instant. I struck with my leg but she dodged that too. She giggled and then brought down her axe, which I blocked with my spear. I kicked her in the stomach. She gasped, her grip loosened and she held her abdomen in pain.

I thrust the spear forward and she staggered a bit, dodging it again. I kept on attacking her and she went on evading all my moves. Why was I missing so much?!

 _You don't want to kill her._

Sadly, that was true. I didn't want to kill her. She lunged at me like a predator and I struck, the spear embedding itself in her shoulder.

"AAHHH!" she screamed in pain, and for once her voice was childish again. My heart almost jumped into my throat at her shrill voice that held so much pain and agony in it. my heart was telling me to stop it right there, to not make another move. However, my mind was wicked, and wanted me to kill her right then.

I pulled out the spear.

Her voice rose to impossible volumes and it made me tremble on the spot.

 _Kill her Ama!_

But I couldn't! how could I kill a girl so young? It was against all my principles. All my morals.

I stepped back just a bit and then she threw her axe with all her might. It was so unexpected that I didn't know how to react, but maybe I jumped way in the right direction.

The axe wasn't aimed at me anyway.

It hit the monstrous roses, so many of them, and they all rose into the air. I had thought that maybe they would form a cocoon again, but no. NO! everything had to be different today!

Those horrible plants started giving out spores, very mildly red in shade. I crawled backwards as fast as I could, and I saw the girl doing so too, but the red air, or whatever it was, seemed to engulf both of us, and now we both cried as we could feel our skins burning right through the protective clothing. I could feel it sting at thousand different places and yelled out in pain, feeling my clothes becoming soaked. I was drenched in my own blood and suddenly everything felt to be too suffocating.

Maybe it wasn't really a surprise that I felt the axe come my way and I dodged it just in time. Wasn't she feeling this pain too?! Everything appeared to be so hazy right now and she struck again, and I threw my spear at her.

It got embedded in her knee.

Her cries at that were almost animalistic, for surely a human could not make such a sound. She howled and screamed, trying to pull out the spear in vain and I watched. Slowly, getting to my feet, trying to ignore the unbearable pain in my being, I snatched her axe from her hands. Here was nothing else to be done now. She had to die.

"Sorry Aly," I muttered and raised the axe.

At that moment she pulled out the spear with a heart-rending cry and threw it at me. It got stuck in my upper arm and I dropped the axe, howling in pain. Aly took her axe back and swung it at me, and I rolled aside. The spear went even deeper into my arm and I cried out, unable to stop the tears, mixing with the wet blood on my body. This was too painful. Too painful! I didn't want to die!

Maybe…

* * *

 **Alessandra "Aly" Farro (13) D9F**

Amaranthine's screams sounded like music to my ears. The poor guy was afraid of both blood and death, and ironically he was near both of them. My own pain was great, and all I wanted was to stop and cry and get something done about it, but no. that had to wait.

He had forced out the spear as well and at the moment we both had one arm each out of function. I was at an advantage at that, because my injured arm wasn't the one I used for doing any work. For some reason, I was able to ignore the pain in my body and I was grateful for it. Not like this weakling, who seemed to be on the verge of tears. Or maybe he was crying, I didn't know.

He was forcing himself on his feet and I brought down the axe. I staggered back, but I managed to leave a gash on his chest, cutting through the jacket and the shirt. He gasped, and just stared down. I waited for the radiations to work.

Nothing happened.

Oh come on!

Amaranth was on his knees, staring down on the ground. I readied my axe, all the pain already forgotten at the sight of his weak, pathetic self. I laughed lightly and that's when he jumped on top of me with a low growl and forced his spear into my waist.

My breathing stopped, my heart beat faster as I took in the sight of the spear sticking out of my waist. I opened my mouth to cry out, but no sound came. No, no! I couldn't die! I couldn't die, not to him!

With an angry roar I pulled out the weapon, aware of the pain, aware of the blood loss, and yet it did not affect me. I didn't even care about living or dying now, I had to kill him at any cost.

He pushed me back and kicked right at the wound, sending another spark of pain shooting through my body. I fell down and saw him run, run towards the bell. So, this is what he had come down to? I was shocked that a Career like him, who were always on about honour and dignity, was ready to sacrifice his family for his life. I gritted my teeth. No way was I going to let him get out of this.

 _If he rings the bell, you'll be the victor by default._

"Doesn't matter," I growled and ran, despite the injury in my knee, in my arm, in my waist. Nothing mattered to me, other than to see him die like a bug in front of my eyes. That would be vengeance, a message to everyone. I was not going to let him get away.

He reached the bell that hung majestically in the darkness and his steps faltered. He just stood there and I stopped to, waiting. Why wasn't he ringing the bell?

"I-I'm s-sorry," he whispered in a shaky voice and then reached out to ring the bell.

My axe went into his back just then.

He stopped, swaying gently on the spot, and then fell on his knees, staring at the Bell. Maybe he could feel the life slip out of him slowly as he dropped the spear, I went over to him and grabbed his weapon. He didn't do anything.

"Good bye," I muttered and then pushed the spear into his chest.

The impact hit him too hard.

Wait, what had I done? Did I really…? No, this couldn't be happening. I couldn't have… I couldn't have killed him! NO!

"Amaranth!" I cried. How could I be so heartless?! How could I do this to anyone?!

I heard his cries. He was crying, crying for his family, for his friends, crying about how scared he was. Crying for someone called Galatea, his body was trembling because of crying.

"No…!" I yelled and pulled out the axe. He gasped in pain again, his throat dry maybe, and I laid him down on the ground, settling his head in my lap.

"I-I-I'm sorry," I said, crying myself.

"I'm afraid Aly!" he cried through his tears, "I'm so afraid!"

I sobbed too, unable to believe what I had done. What I was seeing. I couldn't have…!

"Just- just end it quickly Aly…" he whispered, "P-please…"

And now my hands were shaking as I grabbed the axe. They shook when I raised it and they trembled when I brought it down, slicing his throat in an instant.

The cannon rung.

I threw away the axe and fell on my knees. This couldn't happen… I killed him… I KILLED HIM!

I cried and bawled, feeling faint, but yelled in anger and frustration, engulfed in guilt and sorrow. I killed him. I killed him. I killed him.

 _You got your revenge._

"SHUT UP!" I screamed. I didn't want revenge! I should have been dead! What did I _do?_

"Ladies and gentlemen, here I proudly present you the victor of the Seventy Ninth Hunger Games: ALESSANDRA FARRO FROM DISTRICT NINE!"

"NOO!" I screamed. I was not a victor! I didn't deserve it! I was a cold-blooded murderer! I-

There was nothing left to think. The fatigue, the blood loss and the sorrow took over, and I passed out in the arena.

* * *

 **Uh, hi. This was the finale, and I am certain that it was not a good one, but I present you the victor. Alessandra Farro from District Nine! In all honesty, it was a hard decision. A very hard decision, considering that I had a very fantastic cast. I loved each one of the tributes with my heart, I did.**

 **Eulogies:**

 **2** **nd** **\- Amaranthine Carteret: Ama, Ama, Ama, you were such an interesting and unique character. I honestly loved him so much. He was fun to write, he had the right emotions, the right way of doing things. He was brave and always gave his best at everything. Actually, he was about to place tenth but then I just wanted to keep on writing him so he didn't. Then I thought he would place seventh and I never thought, not even when writing the feast, that he would be in my final two. But he did make it. proud of you Amaranthine. Rest in peace, you will be missed dearly. Thank you Meg, for submitting him and for writing a beautiful character.**

 **1** **st** **\- Alessandra Farro: Congratulation Pine, for your first ever victor! Okay, so the moment the train rides were done, I knew I wanted Aly to win. Why? Well, there are a number of reasons, but one of them was that she was young and morally sound. It is always fun to turn those into sociopaths during the course of the Games. She turned cruel and had a bigger drive to survive than others. Strangely enough, when I got her form, I was about to give her a twenty second placing. I think Aly changed the most during the Games, and it was fun to write that change, even if it did make me sad. And now I have my youngest victor, and I am proud of her, despite everything. Congratulations again.**

 **So… what do you think of the finale? And especially of the victor? Did you ever think Aly would win? Also, I will appreciate your thoughts on the story as a whole. I know it wasn't up to the mark but I did work hard on it.**

 **Thank you all for reading.**

 **Have a great day!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Epilogue**

* * *

There were too many people around for her liking. At that moment, all Alessandra wanted was to hide back in her hospital ward. There had been nobody there. Nobody to bother her. Nobody to torment her.

However, now it seemed unlikely that she would get any peace. Dressed in a long silky gown that did their job well of concealing her injuries, she walked towards Alissa and shook hands with the woman. And then there was Lorenzo standing nearby, glaring at her despite his wide smile. Looking at his angry face was of some comfort to her, however small.

She saw the President come towards her, two women brought in a tiara. Oh how she wanted to burn it! How she wanted to kill them all! She tried to smile when the President crowned her the victor, but it was more of a grimace. In the din of the applause she wanted to scream and wail and hurt all those people around her, just like she did in the Games…

At least she was spared the humiliation of giving a speech by a rather stern look from the tyrant. Somebody grabbed her roughly and dragged her away from the stage, out of the hall, away, away from them all.

She was almost glad when the person pushed her into the room and banged the door shut. Aly stood up shakily, and her eyes fell on the mirror. How pretty she looked! And how ugly she felt looking at her beautiful form! The first thing she did was to ruin her hairdo. Then she proceeded to wipe out the makeup. Throwing off the dress she slipped into the shabbiest clothes of her own during her Reapings, which had been kept into the cupboard. And then she stomped onto the extravagant dress with as much strength as she could muster, followed by screaming. The screams were loud, stretched out and demented and there suddenly felt a joy in smashing the mirror and using the glass to cut herself…

Just when she decided that she would do it after all, there was a knock on her door.

All she wanted to do now was to strangle whoever it was on the door. She stormed over to it and wrenched it open, ready to punch whoever it was but then stopped.

Her anger dissipated at once. In its place was a mixture of affection and sadness as she took in the figure standing in her doorway, his cheeks much hollow than they had been, eyes slightly bleak, and his frame much thinner than it should be.

"Bridge…"

The boy, much shorter than her, spread his arms wide and Aly embraced him, tears finally falling as the younger child stroked her messy hair gingerly.

"I forgot completely that you're, that you're alive!" Aly exclaimed, releasing him finally, her face lighting up.

"It came at a price Aly. A price I didn't want to pay," Bridge replied, "I-I already murdered my own dad before the Games. It was an accident. A mad accident. But- but now…"

He didn't have the strength to continue and Aly stared at him. Murdered his own father? And she thought he was her friend…

"You killed your own dad?" she whispered.

The boy lowered his gaze and nodded. Aly pushed him away.

"Go then," she said, "Leave. Don't meet me ever again."

"Aly-"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK?! MURDERING IS ALL RIGHT?! DON'T YOU FEEL- FEEL ANYTHING?! AND HERE I AM, SOBBING AND WEEPING AND THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE AND YOU COME IN CASUALLY TO SAY THAT YOU MURDERED YOUR DAD! IS IT A GAME, BRIDGE?! MURDERING PEOPLE?! IN THE GAMES WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT- BUT BEFORE THAT?! YOU DISGUST ME!"

Bridge didn't say anything at all even as Alessandra slammed the door shut in his face.

Why did she even think he was a friend? What did she know of him? But now she did. A guy who killed his father- no! Just no!

"AAHHH!" she cried, pulling at her hair when there was another knock.

"Go away!"

No reply.

Exasperated, she opened the door, and he barged in, jumping onto the bed.

"I killed people. You killed people. It's even," Bridge said as he glared at her.

"No it isn't," Aly growled.

"It is," the boy replied calmly, settling himself on the bed, and wiping his feet with the dress Aly had discarded.

"Ugh."

"You aren't going to wear that, are you?"

Aly pursed her lips at that and Bridge shrugged.

"What is it?" she asked finally.

"I have been assigned a home in the Capitol," Bridge said, "Want to stay with me?"

Aly narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

"Want to stay with me? I won't kill you, don't worry."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Because I'm amazing."

"You're twelve."

"You're thirteen."

"I'll think about it."

Bridge grinned at her and then ran over to he, gave her a bear hug and then ran out. Aly rolled her eyes. Who would want to stay with such a monkey? And then she laughed.

"Hey Bridge, I know you're right here."

The boy poked his head into the doorway.

"I'll see if my family can come too. I'm not staying anywhere with you alone."

"Invite them then!"

"I will."

Bridge giggled and then ran down the corridor and Aly started laughing again. No, she wasn't going to live with him alone. At least not now. Suicide seemed a very wrong option now. How could she even think of something so irrational?

"Don't be so happy Bridge," she muttered gleefully, "The first thing I'm going to work on is your horrible songs."

* * *

 **I know. One and a half months and yet the worst epilogue you could get. Try to work out what this epilogue meant, for I don't know myself. I'm having exams now so it wasn't very good.**

 **So, I hope you all enjoyed the story. Each character that you sent me was worth millions. I loved writing them a lot and although I know that there were a few who I messed up very badly, I still loved those characters as well. I know many of you were not happy with the victor, which is understandable, although the reason I chose her was very simple. She was affected by the Games in a very bad way, sort of went mad even. As I have never seen a victor who was driven mad by the Games, I had to do it. and I don't regret it.**

 **This was an enjoyable journey and I thank each one of you for taking the time to read it. and my hearties thanks and gratitude to the submitters, without whom the story would have been incomplete.**


End file.
